asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that old age pensioners who are holders of medical cards and are hospitalised for specific surgical or medical treatment have portion of their pension allowance deducted for such treatment; and what action he proposes to take in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Old Age Pensioners' Medical Treatment.
43.
I am not aware that such deductions are made from the pensions of old age pensioners towards the cost of acute surgical or medical hospital treatment. If the Deputy has any specific cases in mind, I shall be glad to have them investigated if he supplies particulars.
Is the Minister aware that an arbitrary period of 30 days or some such figure is put on it by civil servants or public officials who have no knowledge whatever of the patient's condition and they decide that after a specific date if a patient is in hospital for an acute medical or surgical condition that they will take an allowance from that person's pension, irrespective of the fact that the person may have a medical card? This is a terrible injustice. A resolution was passed at the Eastern Health Board calling for the abolition of this discriminatory clause. The Minister's predecessor ignored this and his officials still insisted that these people should pay a portion of their pension despite the fact that they have a medical card which entitles them to treatment.
I am informed that in the case of these pensioners, as far as acute surgical or medical hospital treatment is concerned, if they are short periods there are no deductions. I could not define at this stage what a short period is.
The officials have no right to decide this and we have no right to discriminate against these people.
For a short period there are no deductions made. If they are deemed to be chronic they are treated in the same manner as inmates of a county home. As far as the period is concerned, I do not know what is regarded as acute.
Will the Minister look into this matter again?
Certainly.