Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 15 Jun 1999

Vol. 506 No. 2

Written Answers. - Services for People with Disabilities.

Theresa Ahearn

Question:

257 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Health and Children the proposals, if any, he has to help those who suffer from post polio syndrome; the plans, if any, he has to classify this in the long-term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15071/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

In common with other voluntary sector groups providing services for people with physical and sensory disabilities, requisite action arising in the context of the post polio support group is based on the recommendations of the report of the review group on health and personal social services for people with physical and sensory disabilities. As recommended in the report, co-ordinating committees have been established in each of the health boards.

Health boards, in consultation with their local co-ordinating committee, decide priorities for allocating the additional moneys made available by the Government for the development of services for people with physical and sensory disabilities. This year additional funding totalling £3 million – £6 million full year cost in the year 2000 – has been provided for the development of services for people with physical and sensory disabilities.

There are 15 specified illnesses covered under the long-term illness scheme and the scheme has not been extended since 1975 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.

At present, persons suffering from an ongoing medical condition can avail of the drug cost subsidisation scheme, which 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 do not have to pay more than £32 in any month on prescribed medication.

Under the drug refund scheme, families and individuals pay the full cost of their prescription medicines and may, at the end of the quarter, claim reimbursement from their health board of expenditure over £90 in that calendar quarter.

The new drug payment scheme will replace the drug cost subsidisation scheme and the drug refund scheme with effect from 1 July 1999, with a monthly threshold of £42. The new scheme will effectively merge the best elements of the two existing schemes and is designed to significantly improve the cash flow situations for families and individuals incurring ongoing expenditure on medicines.

The fact that the drug payment scheme will operate on a monthly basis has distinct advantages over the current drug refund scheme. Under the drug refund scheme, a family or an individual may, for example, in one month have expenditure of say £80 but no expenditure in the other two months. They would not have been entitled to a refund. Under the new scheme, they will only have to pay £42 in that month.

There are no qualifying criteria for inclusion in the drug payment scheme. This is in contrast to the drug cost subsidisation scheme where patients must be certified by their doctors as suffering from a condition requiring ongoing expenditure on medicines in excess of £32 per month.

I am satisfied that the new scheme will be easier to use than the drug refund scheme and will be more inclusive than the drug cost subsidisation scheme, bringing overall benefits to greater number of people.