Denis Naughten
Question:356 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will extend the long-term illness scheme to polio survivors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8532/02]
Written Answers. - Long-Term Illness Scheme.
Denis Naughten
Question:357 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will issue a directive to the health boards to treat polio survivors sympathetically when applying for medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8533/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 356 and 357 together.
At present there are no proposals to extend automatic eligibility to people affected by this condition. However, people who cannot arrange without undue hardship 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, the chief executive officer has regard to the applicant's financial circumstances. Health boards use income guidelines to assist in determining eligibility. However, where a person's income exceeds the guidelines, a medical card may be awarded 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.
Persons suffering from any of the following conditions who are not already medical card holders may obtain without charge drugs and medicines for the treatment of that condition under the long-term illness scheme: mental handicap; mental illness, for persons under 16 years only; phenylketonuria; cystic fibrosis; spina bifida; hydrocephalus; diabetes mellitus; diabetes insipidus; haemophilia; cerebral palsy; epilepsy; multiple sclerosis; muscular dystrophies; parkinsonism and acute leukaemia. There are no plans to amend the scheme to include persons with polio. Non-medical card holders and people with conditions not covered under the long-term illness scheme can use the drugs payment scheme. Under this scheme, no individual or family unit pays more than €53.33 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. Health Boards are obliged to treat all applications fairly when applying for medical cards.