The Health Insurance Authority’s recent consultation paper on “Risk Equalisation in the Irish Private Health Insurance Market” invites input on the risk factors to be taken into account in a risk equalisation scheme, such as age, gender and health status. In the Society’s response to the paper, we emphasise that decisions on risk factors should have regard to, and be consistent with, the objectives of the scheme. The Society is in favour of a risk equalisation system that encourages competition and new insurers. It would not be necessary to allow for health status in such