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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 4 Mar 1998

Vol. 488 No. 2

Written Answers. - Long-term Illness Scheme.

Richard Bruton

Question:

45 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children the criteria, if any, for deciding which conditions are included under the long-term illness card; whether a person suffering from paralysis of the lower body would meet all reasonable criteria for eligibility; and if he will make a statement on the principle of equal treatment in regard to this scheme. [5744/98]

The long-term illness scheme entitles persons to free drugs and medicines which are prescribed in respect of a specific schedule of illnesses. The illnesses covered by this scheme are: mental handicap, mental illness — for persons under 16 years only — phenylketonuria, cystic fibrosis, spina bifida, hydrocephalus, diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus, haemophilia, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophies, parkinsonism and acute leukaemia.

The long-term illness scheme has not been extended since 1975 and there are no plans to change the scheme or 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 on-going 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.

I am satisfied appropriate and comprehensive support is being provided by the State through the existing range of schemes for people with long-term medical conditions.

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