Sir, – “Medical inflation” is the catchphrase cited by health insurance companies to explain and justify recent steep increases in the cost of cover.
The providers owe consumers more detail about the drivers of these repeated surges in price, and they might start by investigating the part played by the fees charged by medical consultants.
The experience of my family over the past 18 months is that the norm of €200 for an initial consultation is increasing to €300. The cost of one subsequent visit, to interpret the results of a scan, lasted less than 15 minutes and incurred a charge of over €400.
While I received reassurance regarding my health concerns from both of these visits, I could see no justification for the exorbitant fees charged. They call for investigation, perhaps some form of regulation and, in particular, for the consumer voice to be heard in the deliberations about prices between the consultants and the insurance industry. –Yours, etc,
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EDDIE MOLLOY,
Rathgar,
Dublin.