HSE defers move to cut cataract reimbursement prices

The HSE has deferred a move to cut the price it reimburses people for cataract treatments in the European Union and in Northern Ireland, under its overseas treatment schemes and a separate system for the north.

The prices were due to change from the start of this month but the HSE has told RTÉ News that to ensure no one is disadvantaged, and to fully communicate with patients, treatment consultants and providers, the HSE is deferring the cost changes to 1 September.

The payments for less complex eye treatments were due to fall from €1,912 to €863 or the National Health Service equivalent of £766 in Northern Ireland.

The most common cataract procedure payments were due to reduce from €1,456 to €1,171.

The HSE said that the vast majority of procedures, which is 94%, fall into this new payment price.

It said that the more complex glaucoma/cataract treatment payments will rise from €1,912 to €4,206.

It said that between now and 1 September, it will communicate with providers in Northern Ireland.

The HSE pointed out that it has not updated its pricing procedures for the last few years and that this was due to the interruption of Covid-19, coupled with the reclassification of certain cataract procedures, following the international coding system, in which some prices have increased and some have decreased.

Figures provided to RTÉ News show that last year, there were 1,762 HSE cross-border reimbursements processed at a cost of over €9m.

In addition, there were 4,622 reimbursements under the separate HSE Northern Ireland Planned Healthcare Scheme. This cost over €15.6m last year.

The number of cross border and Northern Ireland treatments covered have increased since 2022.