Vol. 518 No. 6
357 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans, if any, he has to review the operation of the drugs refund scheme over its first year; if he will include in this review the possibility of extending the range of drugs to be covered by the scheme; if he will review arrangements for coeliacs who have been burdened with extra costs since the new scheme's inception; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13101/00]
360 Mr. Ardagh asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will reconsider the withdrawal of the gluten free products from the general medical scheme list in view of the absolute necessity and the high cost of these products for coeliacs. [13132/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 357 and 360 together.
The drug payment scheme, with a threshold of £42 per month per individual or family, was introduced on 1 July 1999 and replaced the drug cost subsidisation scheme, DCSS, and drug refund scheme, DRS. The primary aim of the scheme is to bring about important improvements over the previous schemes and the scheme is designed to be more streamlined, user friendly and to significantly improve the cash flow situation for families and individuals incurring ongoing expenditure on medicines.
A common list of reimbursable items was introduced for the general medical services scheme and the drug payment scheme to ensure equity in relation to the products reimbursed by the State under both schemes. The introduction of the common medicines list ensures equity between the general medical services scheme and the drug payment scheme in relation to the range of medicines paid for by the State under both schemes. This common list is subject to ongoing review and amendment as new products become available and additions and deletions are notified on a monthly basis. The list of reimbursable food items to which persons registered under the drug payment scheme are entitled is in line with those items available to medical card holders and includes breads, bread mixes, flours and pizza bases. It is considered that the range of such items available under State reimbursement schemes provides a reasonable choice and persons requiring items which are not reimbursable would be expected to meet the full cost of such items. There are no plans to include other coeliac foods in the common list.
People who are unable without undue hardship to arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants may be entitled to a medical card. Eligibility for a medical card is solely a matter for the chief executive officer of the relevant health board to decide. In determining eligibility for a medical card, the local health board has regard to the financial circumstances of the applicant. Income guidelines are used by health boards to assist in determining a person's eligibility. However, even though a person's income exceeds the guidelines, the person may still be awarded a medical card if the chief executive officer considers that the person' s medical needs or other circumstances would justify this. Medical cards may also be issued to individual family members on this basis.
