Entitlement to free care
Everyone is entitled to public in-patient and out-patient services but some people may have to pay some [broken link removed].
Entitlement to free care means that you are entitled to a bed in a public ward and free consultant services while you are there and to out-patient services in a public hospital.
If you avail of private treatment either in a [broken link removed], you have to pay for your maintenance and treatment.
The [broken link removed] in a public hospital is set from time to time.
If you are not ordinarily resident in Ireland and are not entitled to free or subsidised health services as a visitor to Ireland, you have to pay the full economic cost of the service. This means you pay for the full economic cost of all the services provided, including maintenance, cleaning, etc., in addition to medical and surgical costs. If you use a public bed, you also have to pay the full economic cost.
Your entitlement to free care is the same in specialist as in general hospitals.