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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 8 Dec 1998

Vol. 498 No. 1

Written Answers. - Drug Refund Scheme.

Nora Owen

Question:

252 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of people who applied for the drug refund scheme in each health board area in 1997 and to date in 1998; the amount paid out in 1997 and to date in 1998; the length of time between applications and payment; and the breakdown of the illnesses represented by the applications, for example, asthma suffers, heart conditions and so on. [26712/98]

Under the drug refund scheme, which covers expenditure by the whole family, any expenditure on prescribed medication above £90 for use in a calendar quarter is refunded by the health board.

The total number of claims made and total cost of claims in 1997 and from January to August 1998 are set out below. It is not possible to indicate the number of individuals claiming under the scheme as claims may be in respect of a family's total expenditure on prescribed medication.

1977

1998 (January-August)

Total Number of Claims

164,844

128,165

Total Cost of Claims

£24.45 million

£19.18 million

The processing of claims under the drug refund scheme is a matter for the chief executive officer of each health board. I understand from the health boards that the processing of claims under the scheme generally takes between four and six weeks. In the case of some health boards, however, the processing procedure may take longer, depending on the number of claims being submitted at any one time and the submission date of claims to the board.
While each claim under the scheme is accompanied by a pharmacy receipt that indicates the name and quantity of the medicine dispensed, it is not possible to indicate the illnesses represented by the claims as this information is not currently recorded by health boards.
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