Does everyone in Ireland have health insurance? from uk used to NHS, options?

Chapter Three: Market Overview

• Ownership of private health insurance has increased from 47% in the previous study to 52% of all Irish adults in 2005. Social class has remained a key determinant of ownership and this was not surprising considering the rising cost of cover and the relationship of social class to disposable income.
• Approximately a quarter (26%) of adults indicated they had a medical card with 3% of adults having both a medical card and private health insurance. Age (65+ years) and social class (DE) were key determinants of medical card ownership.
• A sizeable proportion (over 20%) of adults held other health insurance related products (e.g. critical illness, income protection plan) and most considered them as complements to (rather than substitutes for) private health insurance. A high proportion of respondents did not know whether each product was a complement to or a substitute for private health insurance.
• There was a high level of multiple other health insurance related products held by respondents. For example, 75% of those with cash plans also had a critical illness policy and 70% of those with cash plans also had an income protection plan.
7 September 2005

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