Vol. 445 No. 6
409 Mr. Noonan (Limerick East) asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that congenital heart disease in infants is not on the approved list of ailments for the issue of medical cards; if he will examine the situation with a view to adding this ailment to the list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [162/94]
The Deputy may be referring to the possibility of including this condition as one of the specified illnesses under the long term illness scheme. The long term illness scheme entitles persons who suffer from certain specified illnesses to free drugs and medicines which are prescribed in respect of the particular illnesses and there are no plans at present to extend the number of illnesses covered by the scheme.
The long term illness scheme, however, is only one of a number of schemes in operation which provide assistance towards the cost of prescribed drugs and medicines for persons with ongoing medical conditions.
Where an individual or a family is subjected to a significant level of ongoing expenditure on medical expenses (general practitioner fees, prescribed drugs etc.) due to a long term medical condition such as that described by the Deputy, these expenses may be reckoned in determining eligibility for a medical card. In some cases a medical card may issue to a family member on a personal basis. Eligibility for a medical card is solely a matter for the chief executive officer of the relevant health board to decide.
Persons who suffer from an on-going medical condition can avail of the drug cost subsidisation scheme which cater for people who are certified as having a long term medical condition with a regular and on-going requirement for prescribed drugs and medicines in excess of an amount per month, currently £32.
Persons who qualify for inclusion in this scheme will not have to spend more than £32 in any month on prescribed medication.
Under the drugs refund scheme, which covers expenditure by the whole family, any expenditure on prescribed medication above £90 for use in a calendar quarter is refunded by the health board.
I am satisfied that appropriate and comprehensive support is being provided by the State through the existing range of drug schemes to those with medical expenses arising from long term medical conditions.
