Have your skin lesion treated in the North — and claim the cost back

No. The NIPHS is open to anyone who would be entitled to the same treatment in an Irish public hospital. You don't need to be on a waiting list — you only need to be eligible for the care and to have a valid referral.

You're repaid whichever is the smaller amount: the cost of your treatment in Northern Ireland, or the matching public price in the Republic of Ireland (the DRG amount). So if your procedure in the North costs less than the DRG figure, you're repaid what you paid; if it costs more, you're repaid up to the DRG amount.

For day-case skin procedures — biopsies and lesion removals with no overnight stay — you do not need prior approval. Only treatments requiring an overnight hospital stay need prior notification from the HSE beforehand. You can still apply for prior notification voluntarily to get an indication of your repayment.

Outpatient appointments are repaid up to €194 for appointments from 1 May 2023. If you have several appointments on the same day — for example a consultation and a minor procedure — the single €194 maximum applies. The HSE confirms the exact figures based on your records.

Yes. Having private health insurance doesn't exclude you. The one condition is that you can't use a private-insurance referral to access care under the scheme — your referral must come from a GP or from a consultant you see as a public patient.

The NIPHS covers the cost of your healthcare only. It does not cover travel, accommodation or other related costs. It also can't be used for treatment in a public healthcare service in Northern Ireland — it applies to planned, private care.