The VHI has confirmed it is to raise its health insurance premiums by 9 per cent from September 1st.
Chief executive Mr Vincent Sheridan said the increase was necessary to deliver the latest medical treatments and services, and to meet the rising costs of healthcare.
|
He said the average cost of a week in a private hospital is £2,300 compared with £614 ten years ago.
The increase will mean the price of Plan B for an individual in a group scheme, will rise from £263 to £286, while the cost for a family (two adults and two children) will increase by £64.62 to £782.50.
Fine Gaelspokesman on health Mr Gay Mitchell has attacked the Minister for Health for sanctioning the 9 per cent increase.
Describing the decision as "outrageous", Mr Mitchell said it was not acceptable for Mr Martin to do a "cosy deal with the VHI behind closed doors.
"This application had been with the Minister for weeks and comes on top of an increase of over 6 per cent he already approved last February", he said.
The VHI’s annual report was published today with the company recording an after tax profit increase of 23 per cent to €28 million from the previous year.
Over 390,000 claims and 1.1 million doctor invoices were processed to the year ending February 2001, with over 42 per cent of the population now covered by VHI healthcare.