FEES for private health patients are to increase by 6% this week.
Since 2000, the maximum annual fee increase for private patients accessing services provided by the Health Department has been fixed at 2.5%, with exceptions allowed in ‘extremely compelling cases only’.
Health Minister Karen Wilson has now approved a 6% rise, which is due to be implemented this week.
A report outlining the decision justified the uplift by explaining that it was to cover the two years in which fees had not risen during Covid ‘plus an adjustment to allow for the underlying higher rate of medical inflation’. It added that a ‘detailed costing review was last carried out in 2021 and no inflation increase was implemented in 2022’.
‘The private-patient tariff covers services offered by HCS which patients with insurance, or self-funding patients, can access separately to their state-provided care,’ the Health Department said.
‘These services offer patients choice and are an important contribution to the Island’s healthcare economy, supporting the HCS budget in providing services to public patients.
‘As stated in the ministerial decision “the tariff has not been uplifted for inflation for two financial years”, therefore the 6% [increase] covers the two years.’
The new tariffs are due to come into effect on Friday.
