Midlands TD slams €275 Covid test charge

Aontú Leader and Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín is calling  on private health insurers and the government to resolve  the issue of private hospitals now charging patients for Covid-19 testing

Deputy Tóibín said: “A number of constituents of mine forwarded me information that he had received shortly before scheduled hospital appointments. They were told that a ‘self-pay Covid surcharge’ would apply to their visit to hospital. This surcharge would be approximately €275, and it would be up to them to see whether their medical insurers would cover the procedure. Many families who have insurance have had their circumstance changed radically because of Covid. For some a charge such as this will prevent them from accessing services."

He said: "€275 is a considerable amount of money and certainly not one most people could pay without concern. What if a family needs to get tested? Will that surcharge be charged per person?"

He said:“To put it in context, if a person was in receipt of the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment, they would be spending 78% of their weekly payment just to get tested for Covid-19, leaving them with €75 to live off for the rest of the week. That’s not even taking into account if they have families or dependants to care for. How is that fair? Families and households across the country have been hit in the pocket, and are fearful of the worsening economic situation? It is wholly wrong and infuriating to see a price being put on people’s well-being. A price which many cannot afford.”