Sir, – Over the past six months we have seen our health insurance fees rising by more than 33 per cent due to fee increases and reductions in tax allowances.
I was therefore horrified to note patients with private health insurance are to be charged €800 per bed night in public hospitals versus €80 per night – capped at €800 – for those without insurance. I have worked and paid PAYE tax for 40 odd years, at punitive rates in the 1980s and again in recent years, yet because I have taken the added precaution of having health cover insurance I am to be penalised for same.
Article 40 of the Constitution guarantees that all citizens are equal. How does this sit with this ruling? In effect I am deemed to be inferior to these people – some of whom are hard-working and deserving citizens, but their number also includes work-shy chancers, cute hoors who have wangled undeserved health cards from their TDs and others. Meanwhile, people like me who are prudent but not wealthy have to pay through the nose for everything.
There are limits to our patience, but given the government’s pursuit and intimidation of Louise O’Keeffe and her fellow victims, as well as Bridget McCole many years earlier while she was lying on her death bed, we are not too hopeful of a resolution any time soon. – Yours, etc,
TONY O’DOWD,
Bodenwood,
Rathfarnham, Dublin 14.