Theresa Ahearn
Question:48 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Health the proposals, if any, he has to allow all MS patients be provided with a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2589/96]
Written Answers. - Medical Cards.
Limerick East): 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 medical and surgical services for themselves and their dependants.
Income guidelines are available to assist chief executive officers in the determination of a person's eligibility and these guidelines are revised annually in line with the consumer price index. 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 cards may also be awarded to individual family members.
Multiple sclerosis is one of the conditions covered by the long-term illness scheme. Under this scheme drugs and medicines for the treatment of multiple sclerosis can be obtained without charge. Taking account of this and the discretionary powers of the chief executive officers to issue medical cards, I do not think that it is justifiable to extend an automatic entitlement to medical card to all multiple sclerosis patients, without any reference to their means, particularly in view of the many areas of pressing need in the health services and the limited resources available to meet them.