Changes made to the Health Act earlier this month mean that from today, a number of charges have been dropped for those who attend A&E.
Patients no longer have to pay €80 to be seen in an Emergency Department or pay for any other inpatient appointments now that the amendments have been made.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly signed the Health Amendment Act into Irish law earlier this month, marking a moment of relief for many patients during a cost-of-living crisis.
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Hospital charges for children under 16 were dropped last September, but up until today public patients without a medical card were subject to public in-patient daily charges of €80, up to a maximum of €800 a year.
Speaking about the changes, Minister Donnelly said: "The removal of these charges, announced as part of Budget 2023, is an important step towards reducing the healthcare costs of patients and families.
"This measure builds on the abolition of public in-patient charges for children, which I introduced last year, and is another significant step in ensuring that people have access to affordable healthcare services."
The abolition of public hospital fees will cost the Exchequer €32 million a year. The HSE has an annual budget of over €20 billion.
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