Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 23 Jun 1994

Vol. 444 No. 3

Written Answers. - Health Services Entitlement.

Gay Mitchell

Question:

117 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if he will review the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 who was recently turned down for a non-contributory old age pension but who cannot afford the continuous medical costs she has to incur; and if he will make a statement on other possible assistance available to this person.

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

Entitlement to health services is based on means. Under the Health Act, 1970, medical cards are issued to persons who, in the opinion of the Chief Executive Officer of the appropriate health board are unable, without undue hardship, to provide general practitioner services for themselves and their dependants.

Income guidelines are drawn up by the Chief Executive Officers to assist in the determination of a person's eligibility. However these guidelines are not statutorily binding and even though a person's income exceeds the guidelines, that person may still be awarded a medical card if the Chief Executive Officer considers that the person's medical needs or other circumstances would justify this.

Medical card holders receive the full range of public health services free of charge including general practitioner services and prescribed drugs and medicines. If a person is not awarded a medical card there are a number of schemes which provide assistance towards the cost of medication. Persons suffering from a condition covered by the long-term illness scheme can obtain without charge the drugs and medicines for the treatment of that condition. In addition the drug cost subsidisation scheme is available for persons who are certified as having a long term medical condition with a regular and on-going requirement of prescribed drugs and medicines in excess of an amount per month currently at £32. Also any person whose expenditure (including that of dependants) on precribed drugs and medicines for use in a specified three month period exceeds £90 will be eligible to claim a refund of the balance of their expenditure in excess of that amount.

On a final note I would like to point out that it is open to all persons to apply to the Chief Executive Officer of the appropriate health board for health services if they are unable to provide these services for hardship. I am satisfied that health boards give sympathetic consideration to such applications when the circumstances warrant it.