(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of including patients suffering from chronic renal failure in the long term illness scheme; and if he will grant them this facility.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Long Term Illness Scheme.
1
It has been estimated that the additional costs which would result from the inclusion of chronic renal failure among the list of prescribed illness covered by the long term illness scheme would be approximately £100,000. This particular condition is one of a number of illnesses which have been the subject of representations over the years.
The question of extending the scheme to encompass these conditions has been the subject of ongoing review by successive Ministers for Health. It has not been found possible to contemplate any extension of the scheme at the present time. About 50 per cent of patients with chronic renal failure have full medical card cover, which entitles them to free general practitioner services and free medication under the GMS scheme. The remaining 50 per cent comprises persons in the higher income groups who have access to the refund of costs of drugs scheme which ensures that their net unrefunded expenditure on prescribed drugs does not exceed £28 per month.
I am quite satisfied, therefore, that the present arrangements for the issue of medical cards, and the availablility of the benefits of the refund of cost of drugs scheme, are such as to ensure that no hardship should arise.
Does the Minister accept that persons who have to pay for their drugs and claim £28 a month back suffer hardship? In this particular condition the cost would be in the region of £100,000. In previous answers to questions relating to other illnesses the cost was in millions of pounds. Would the Minister not accept that we should include this illness in the long term illness scheme? Also, has he any intention of reviewing that scheme with a view to including other illnesses where persons are not able to afford the costs of their medication?
The Deputy is aware that there have been many representations for the inclusion of a large number of chronic conditions under the scheme and it has not been found possible to provide the very substantial extra millions of pounds which will be necessary if they are all to be included. The health boards give very sympathetic consideration to applications for medical cards from such persons who have chronic renal failure. As I indicated, about half of all those patients own medical cards. In circumstances where there is substantial ongoing expenditure in GP fees and the purchase of prescribed drugs the health boards generally are very sympathetic to such patients.
In view of the reported correspondence from the Minister's Department to the various health boards last year suggesting that the guidelines for the allocation of medical cards must be applied rigidly, surely it is not possible to give them consideration on the basis of long term illness any more.
No. For their general benefit I have not changed this year the £28 expenditure under the refund of drugs scheme. I have been keeping it at £28. To that extent there has been some alleviation of the expenses involved. Overall I have received many representations but they range from anything from chronic renal failure to asthma, to multiple conditions. If we were to agree on an extension in one individual case, all other cases would have a similar claim and the cost would be very substantial.