30/10/2008

No Medical Coverage For Quarter Of Irish Adults

More than 25% of Irish adults do not have a medical card, or private health insurance, the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office have revealed.

According to the CSO, only 44% of those who responded to the latest Quarterly National Household Survey, said that they had private insurance, while 24% said they had a medical card. Only 5% said that they had both.

Twenty-seven percent said that they had neither private insurance or a medical card.

More women than men had medical coverage, with 77% of women having private insurance or a medical card, compared with 69% of men.

The survey also revealed that older people were more likely to have medical coverage than younger people.

The figures showed that 44% of those aged between 18-24 had no private insurance or medical card, compared to just 1% of those aged over 70.

The highest level of private health insurance was recorded among those aged between 35 and 64 years of age, with coverage of over 50%.

(KMcA)

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