Richard Bruton
Question:108 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children the estimated cost of extending long term illness cards to additional long-term health conditions for which extension has been sought. [3043/02]
Written Answers. - Medical Cards.
In the past year submissions have been received in respect of the extension of the long term illness scheme to the following conditions; Alzheimer's Disease, arthritis, asthma, coeliac disease, Crohn's Disease, haemochromotisis, heart disease, Huntingdon's Chorea, post-polio syndrome and spinal injury.
As these conditions are not notifiable, information regarding the numbers of people with such conditions is not routinely collected by my Department and it is not therefore possible to estimate with any certainty the cost of extending the long term illness scheme to cover these additional conditions. In any event, there are no proposals to extend this scheme.