The Irish Medical Organisation has raised serious concerns on the Government's proposals for Universal Health Insurance.

IMO President Prof Trevor Duffy said it appeared that the Government's plan would lead to additional payments by many people to cover services that are currently financed through the taxation system, while many people who are currently paying for private health insurance would have to continue to do so but would lose access to the benefits they currently enjoy.

The doctors' union has made a submission to the Government in response to the recent White Paper on the issue.

"The Government is being disingenuous by confusing the terms universal health insurance and universal healthcare. The proposals are simply a reform of the financing of health care not a commitment to a more equitable system of health care," Prof Duffy said.

Professor Duffy claimed the Government was misleading the public by describing their proposed insurance model as a type of universal healthcare;

"The Government is being disingenuous by confusing the terms universal health insurance and Universal Healthcare. The Government's proposals are simply a reform of the financing of healthcare not a commitment to a more equitable system of health care. "

He said that the IMO had serious reservations about the Government's proposals to deliver on affordability, equity of access, choice and quality of care.