UK trying to recover £500M from IRL - Healthcare overpayment

[Outlander]

Government could have paid millions to Irish by mistake - Telegraph

The Irish Health Minister has revealed that Britain is attempting to recover the money which could total more than £500 million over the past five years. The dispute is set to spark a diplomatic row between the two countries as Ireland's public finances are currently in a fragile state.

However, Mary Harney, the Irish health minister, said earlier this week that the British are now claiming to have paid about 150 million euros too much annually. She said that the UK is trying to reclaim the money.

I think that they will get the "blood from a stone" response to past over-payment, but it looks like the HSE will be loosing €150M per year.

It does seem daft that a blanket fee is paid, not a per-person per treatment arrangement - we have computers now, which make this sort of petty accountancy possible.

[greasytrucker]

Government could have paid millions to Irish by mistake - Telegraph

I think that they will get the "blood from a stone" response to past over-payment, but it looks like the HSE will be loosing €150M per year.

It does seem daft that a blanket fee is paid, not a per-person per treatment arrangement - we have computers now, which make this sort of petty accountancy possible.

No suprise the money has gone missing, it was supposed to be so returned immigrants got medical cards no matter what their circumstances, the Irish state is run like an African bannana republic.

[hopi watcher]

No suprise the money has gone missing, it was supposed to be so returned immigrants got medical cards no matter what their circumstances, the Irish state is run like an African bannana republic.

Is your whole life dedicated to bad mouthing Ireland? Misery.

[FakeViking]

Just listening to this on MI. Can Harney get anything right?

[ibis]

Reading the article, that looks to me like it's the UK that messed up.

[slx]

Looks to me like one cash-strapped country's trying to get money out of another cash-strapped country.

I'd say they'll be waiting!

Only the NHS or the HSE could 'accidentally' over pay by 500 million. They're both run by unaccountable accountants!

[Dios]

On the plus side, if they can drag it out for a few years, that £500 million should be worth a couple of grand euro, so not too bad.

[locke]

Looks to me like one cash-strapped country's trying to get money out of another cash-strapped country.

According to the FT this morning, they're planning to get it back by not paying future amounts fully.

Now, if I did that to a supplier...