Written Answers. - Means Tests and Income Thresholds.
Dermot Ahern
Question:
71
Mr. D. Ahern
asked the
Minister for Health
if his Department or any body under the aegis of his Department operate means tests or income thresholds for any purpose, such as tax exemptions, eligibility for charge or benefit; if so, the level at which they operate and the period over which they are assessed; if account is taken of the income of the spouse; if so, the way in which this is taken account of; if account is taken of the income of other household members; if so the way in which this is done; if account is taken of the costs of maintaining dependent children or other dependants; if any income, such as social welfare payments or imputed value of home ownership is ignored or discounted in any way; if the value of property, real or personal, is included; if so, the basis on which it is included; when the levels were last revised in line with inflation; if there is a distinction in the way the means test operates as between a couple who are married and a couple living together but not married; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8341/96]
, Limerick East): The health boards operate means tests for certain entitlements and charges as follows:
(i) Medical Card Eligibility—
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 and these guidelines are revised annually in line with the consumer price index. The guidelines were revised upwards on this basis with effect from 1 January 1996. It should be noted that a person whose income exceeds the guidelines may be awarded a medical card if the chief executive officer considers that the person's medical needs or other circumstances would justify this.
(ii) Income Maintenance Allowances—
In assessing eligibility for the allowances listed below, health boards are obliged to have regard to all the applicant's means and the means of his/her spouse. Assessment procedures are for the most part similar to those used in assessing income for medical card eligibility. Full account is taken of the amount of means and the allowance is reduced accordingly. However income from supplementary welfare allowances, and amounts of up to £34.10 per week from recognised rehabilitative employment, are disregarded in calculating means for this purpose. These allowances go up each year in line with increases given effect in the Finance Bill.
Maximum rate of allowance with effect from 5-6-95
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1. Disabled person's maintenance allowance
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£62.50 per week
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2. Disabled person's rehabilitation allowance
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£76.40 per week
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3. Infectious Diseases Maintenance Allowance
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£62.50 per week
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4. Blind welfare allowance (paid in addition to blind pension)
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£20.10 per week
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5. Mobility allowance (same means test as disabled person's maintenance allowance)
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£38.00 per month
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Responsibility for the disabled person's maintenance allowance scheme was transferred to the Department of Social Welfare with effect from July-August 1995. Administration of disabled person's maintenance allowance is scheduled to transfer later this year.
In the case of domiciliary care allowance which is payable in respect of handicapped children between the ages of two and sixteen years, it is the income of the child, from for example compensation awards rather than of the parents that is taken into account when assessing eligibility.
(iii) Nursing Home Subvention Scheme—
Under the nursing home subvention scheme there are three maximum weekly rates of subvention which a health board may pay — £120, £95 or £70 depending on the degree of nursing care required.
The income guidelines for 1996 are as follows:
Gross income less PRSI deductions per week
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£
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Single person living alone (under 66)
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86.50
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Single person living alone (66-79)
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94.50
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Single person living alone (80 or over)
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99.00
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Single person living with family (under 66)
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76.50
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Single person living with family (66-79)
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81.50
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Single person living with family (80 or over)
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84.50
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Married couple (under 66)
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125.50
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Married couple (66-79)
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140.50
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Married couple (80 or over)
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147.50
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Allowance for each child under 16
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15.00
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Allowance for other dependants
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16.50
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Allowance for house expenses: (e.g. rent, mortgage) — figure over
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15.00
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Allowance for cost of travelling to work: Cost allowed per week over
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13.50
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The income of an applicant's spouse is taken into account when medical card eligibility is being assessed ("spouse" includes unmarried persons who are living together as man and wife). The income of other household members is not normally taken into account. If considered financially independent by the chief executive officer such members would normally be assessed for a medical card in their own right. Interest on savings is usually assessed, not the actual savings. Likewise the income deriving from property owned is assessed, not the actual value of the property.
The following income is excluded: child benefit, supplementary welfare allowance, family income supplement, domiciliary care allowance, foster care allowance, blind welfare allowance, Department of Defence service pensions 1916-1921, mobility allowance, weekly payments from community employment, carers' allowance and back-to-work allowance. Article 8.1 of the Nursing Homes (Subvention) Regulations, 1993 obliges a health board to follow the procedures set out in the second schedule to the regulations when assessing the means of a person who has applied for a nursing home subvention.
Schedule three of the subvention regulations concerns the assessment of adult children of an applicant for subvention. A health board may only assess a son or daughter's ability to contribute towards the cost of the nursing home fees of a parent if the son or daughter is aged twenty one years and over, is residing in the jurisdiction and possesses sufficient personal income to contribute towards the cost of a parent's nursing home fees as assessed under the procedures laid out in the Nursing Homes (Subvention) Regulations, 1993.
(iv) Long-stay care—
Persons with incomes who are provided with long-stay care in public hospitals, homes for the elderly and other long-stay institutions may incur liability for long-stay charges. In deciding the amount to be contributed health boards have regard to the person's individual circumstances. Allowance is made for any financial commitments the person may have and a reasonable amount is left to meet the person's personal needs. When assessing a person's means all sources of income may be taken into account.
