The Health Amendment Bill 2023 was finalised in Dáil Eireann last week.
Adult in-patient charges are due to be abolished in public hospitals from April 2023.
Anyone who ordinarily resides in Ireland are eligible for public hospital services and as public patients were up to now subject to a statutory public in-patient charge of €80 per night.
Medical card holders and certain groups were exempt from these charges.
Funding was provided in Budget 2023 to abolish the acute public in-patient charge for patients in public hospitals.
The Health Amendment Bill 2023 was finalised in Dáil Eireann last week.
The legislation removes the acute public in-patient hospital charge of €80 per day up to a maximum of €800 in a year (including day case charges), for people accessing care as a public patient in all public hospitals.
Charges for children under 16 were abolished in 2022 and this is the next step in the removal of charges for all.
Welcoming the legislation, Minister Sean Fleming said,
“I’m delighted to see this legislation which will allow for the abolition of adult public in-patient charges in public hospitals from April. This will mean that there will no longer be a charge per night for people staying overnight in public hospitals. This is a very welcome measure and is proof of Fianna Fáil’s support for strengthening and improving healthcare in the country while moving to healthcare being completely free at the point of delivery."
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