asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he is aware that persons have applied for National Health Insurance benefit and have been left for over two months without any answer to their application; if he will state how many cases of people in such circumstances have come under the Minister's notice, who, in spite of weekly doctors' certificates, have been left without any reply, and if he intends to take any steps to ensure that these members will be placed in as favourable a position as they occupied under the former insurance societies.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - National Health Insurance Benefit.
I am not aware that persons who have applied for benefit to Cumann an Arachais Náisiúnta ar Shláinte have been left over for two months without any reply.
I am informed by the Society that claims are examined on the day of receipt and cheques issued to local agents for delivery on the following day unless there is some irregularity in the claim.
There is no evidence in the Department which would support the allegation made in the second part of the question. Complaints of the nature indicated, if they have occurred at all, are extremely rare. I am satisfied that insured persons are not in a less favourable position than that which they occupied under the former approved societies.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, I wish to say that I am afraid I had a very rare case. I got a reply which I do not propose to go into except to say that, apparently, there is a point made by the insurance society that the notice of illness was delayed. Well, in the case of a lad in a lodginghouse, he has not got a whole lot of resources in the way of messengers or other attendants. I would ask the Minister to look into cases such as this, because the circumstances go to show that the permanent officials of the smaller and older societies in the past were in contact with their members in a way that does not appear to be possible under the present régime.
I have examined the case concerning which Deputy Dockrell wrote to the National Health Insurance organisation. I have gone into it fully, and I have all the letters and other documents supplied, and as far as I can see, the delay that arose was definitely due to the fact that the insured person did not comply with the regulations.