The Health Minister has signalled the Government may back down on plans for Universal Health Care and provide refunds for GPs and dentists instead.
Leo Varadkar said universal health care has been a ‘much bigger project’ than anyone thought it would be and he couldn’t guarantee it would be introduced even in the lifetime of the next government.
He said that funding and financial systems are not able to handle extending universal healthcare to hospitals.
Leo Varadkar has suggested that PRSI and USC could be used to fund primary care visits.
Minister Varadkar added that prescription charges are too high and a new scheme is needed.
He says negotiations have begun on a new contract to buy medicines.
