Vol. 473 No. 1
106 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Health the criteria and decision process involved in deciding long-term illnesses and disabilities; if he will include rheumatic arthritis as a long-term illness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24447/96]
Limerick East): Long-term illnesses for the purpose of the long-term illness scheme are specified by statutory instruments. The long-term illness scheme entitles persons who suffer from certain illnesses to free drugs and medicines which are prescribed in respect of a particular illness. The long-term illness scheme has not been extended since 1975 and there are no plans to expand the number of illnesses covered by the scheme, having regard to the fact that the needs of individuals with significant or ongoing medical expenses are met by a range of other schemes which provide assistance towards the cost of prescribed drugs and medicines.
The drug cost subsidisation scheme caters for people who do not have a medical card or a long-term illness book and are certified as having a medical condition with a regular and ongoing requirement for prescribed drugs and medicines. 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 in a calendar quarter is refunded by the health board. Where an individual or a family is subjected to a significant level of ongoing expenditure on medical expenses, such as general practitioner fees or prescribed drugs due to a long-term medical condition, these expenses may be reckoned in determining eligibility for a medical card. Eligibility for a medical card is solely a matter for the chief executive officer of the relevant health board to decide.
