Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 Jul 1995

Vol. 455 No. 4

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Mary Wallace

Question:

68 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Health if he will extend the long term illness scheme to blind and visually impaired persons in respect of covering the high cost of medications used in the treatment or control of many eye diseases and injuries. [12363/95]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): The long term illness scheme entitles persons who suffer from certain specified conditions to free drugs and medicines prescribed in respect of the particular conditions. There are no plans 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 continuous medical conditions.

Where an individual or a family is subjected to a significant level of continuous expenditure on medical expenses — general practitioner fees, prescribed drugs etc. — because of a long term medical condition, these expenses may be reckoned in determining eligibility for a medical card. In some cases a medical card may be issued to a family member on a personal basis. Eligibility for a medical card is a matter solely for the chief executive officer of the relevant health board to decide.

Persons who suffer from a condition such as chronic eye disease can avail of the drug cost subsidisation scheme which caters for people who do not have a medical card or long term illness book and are certified as having a long term medical condition with a regular continuous 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 drug refund scheme, which covers expenditure by the whole family, any expenditure on prescribed medication above £90 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 in the community with long term medical conditions.