The company secretary of a firm that arranges the treatment of Irish patients in a Spanish hospital confirmed that he is “assisting Gardaí” in connection with alleged fraud.
the alleged fraud relates to a former doctors’ organization where he was director.
Chris Goodey, who is now corporate secretary of Healthcare Abroad and previously chief executive of the defunct National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP), answered questions from the Irish Independent.
He said: “I have not been arrested for alleged fraud and I am assisting Gardaí with all their questions. As this case is now in court, I cannot comment further.”
Mr Goodey’s Healthcare Abroad company is involved in arranging treatments under a HSE-funded scheme for patients from Ireland.
It handles logistics for patients who require medical care and are medically approved under the EU cross-border directive to be treated at the new hospital HCB Denia in Costa Blanca, Alicante in Spain.
The hospital was featured on RTE news yesterday and featured an interview with a senior HSE official.
Under the scheme, which applies to all EU countries – and has been amended to include hospitals in Northern Ireland – patients can be treated in both Member States and Northern Ireland. It applies to patients who have received consent, whether or not on a waiting list.
They must pay for the treatment in advance, but are reimbursed by the HSE.
Most patients bypass agencies and arrange the appointment themselves at hospitals in Northern Ireland or any country in the EU, as long as they have medical clearance and referral here, along with the HSE green light.
The NAGP has been the focus of another controversy over a leaked doctor’s contract by Tánaiste Leo Varadkar to his former president Dr. Maitiú Ó Tuathail after Mr Goodey’s departure.
Both Mr Varadkar and Dr Ó Tuathail have now been cleared of any wrongdoing.
A Healthcare Abroad spokesperson said hip and knee surgeries at the Spanish hospital cost around €11,000 to €7,000. Shoulder surgery can range from €5,000 to €7,000.
Patients pay in advance and if accepted by the HSE they will be reimbursed, but they must pay their own flight and accommodation costs.
He said Healthcare Abroad manages all logistics, including accommodation, airport and hospital transfers.
The HSE was unable to provide figures on the use of the cross-border scheme yesterday.
But the numbers using it remain relatively low, given the size of the public waiting lists here where a patient can wait years with potentially aching pain between the queue to see a specialist and undergo surgery.
Asked about her knowledge of the Healthcare Abroad company, the HSE said last night that her relationship is with the patient and not with a third party.