asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify the position in relation to refunds for medication and family doctor visits, normally due in February each year, to Voluntary Health Insurance subscribers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - VHI Outpatients' Refunds.
240.
The recovery plan prepared and adopted by the VHI Board includes some changes in the existing out-patients benefit viz.
—the removal of cover for out-patient drugs and medicines;
—the setting of limits on the payments which VHI will make in respect of professional fees e.g. £10 per G.P. visit and £30 per specialist consultation on an out-patient basis.
VHI cover for drugs applied, until now, to the first £28 expenditure per month on prescribed drugs and medicines (subject to a threshold of £170 per annum expenditure on total out-patients expenses before any benefit was paid) — expenditure over £28 per month is refunded by the health boards.
As the VHI scheme operated by way of recoupment on a six-monthly or yearly basis, most members will not be financially affected until 1990 and no member will be financially affected before August 1989, by the changes announced.
I have already made it clear that I am having the existing statutory schemes reviewed to ensure that they cater fairly and efficiently for those who need expensive drugs on a regular basis.