Vol. 520 No. 4
97 Mr. P. Carey asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans, if any, he has to review the refund of drugs scheme to take account of older people on low incomes who do not have a medical card and, because of their circumstances, cannot avail of this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15813/00]
The drug cost subsidisation and drug refund schemes were merged into one new drugs payment scheme with a threshold of £42 per month per individual or family unit on 1 July 1999. The new scheme effectively merges the best elements of the two existing schemes and is designed to be more streamlined, user-friendly and significantly improves the cash flow situation for families and individuals incurring ongoing expenditure on medicines. The drugs payment scheme, unlike the GMS scheme, is not means tested and is open to everyone.
However, the Deputy will wish to know that the Government decided that the income guidelines for entitlement to medical cards for persons aged 70 years or over should be doubled. This improvement was introduced over a three year period which began on 1 March 1999. The income guidelines for persons over 70 years, which were already higher than the normal guidelines, have been increased by two-thirds in the past two years and the balance will be added in 2001. While income guidelines are used by health boards to assist in determining a person's eligibility for a medical card, the boards have regard to all the circumstances of the applicant. Accordingly, even though a person's income may exceed 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.
In view of the arrangements in place with regard to income guidelines for entitlement to medical cards for older people, I have no plans at present to change the structure of the drugs payment scheme.
