asked the Minister for Health if he will give details of authority for charging casualty charges in the years 1983 to 1986, inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
204.
Written Answers. - Hospital Services.
203.
asked the Minister for Health the amount collected in casualty charges in each health board area in the years 1983 to 1986, inclusive.
205.
asked the Minister for Health whether patients with in-patient and out-patient eligibility were entitled under Health Acts to hospital services free of charge in 1986; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 203 to 205, inclusive, together.
In the years 1983 to 1986 all categories of persons were entitled to hospital inpatient services as a public patient in a public bed or out-patient services as a public patient, without charge, except that those in category III were liable for the fees of the consultants involved in their treatment. Persons opting to be private patients were liable to charges irrespective of category.
A person receiving casualty services in the years 1983-1986 was, therefore, not liable to charges unless (i) he/she was a private patient or (ii) he/she was in the category III eligibility group. Some hospitals, however, in that period collected a voluntary contribution from particular groups of patients attending casualty. These contributions applied mainly to attendances that should normally have been at a general practitioner's surgery and for which the person concerned would have been liable for the general practitioner's fee.
The amounts collected from such voluntary contributions is not specifically available in my Department as they would have been included with other receipts by the hospitals concerned.