Vol. 555 No. 2
88 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Health and Children the estimated additional revenue which will be raised from his decision announced on 12 July 2002 to increase hospital charges and the threshold for the drugs refund scheme; if his attention has been drawn to the severe hardship created for people suffering from long-term ailments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18044/02]
The estimated additional revenue that will be raised from the increases in hospital charges and the threshold for the drugs refund scheme is as follows: drugs payment scheme –€7 million via an increase in the monthly threshold to €65; and increased hospital charges –€6 million A&E, in-patient and maintenance charges. The drug payment scheme, DPS, significantly benefits families who, regularly or occasionally, are faced with large drug bills. No individual or family has to pay more than €65 per month for prescribed, approved drugs and medicines. Any costs over €65 are paid by the State. The monthly threshold for the DPS was increased to €65 with effect from 1 August 2002. Although the threshold had not been increased since the scheme's introduction in July 1999, the cost of the scheme had risen by 73%, up from €51.34 million for the last six months of 1999 to €177.6 million for 2001, and approximately 1.15 million people are now using it.
The statutory charge for an attendance at accident and emergency departments increased from €31.70 to €40 on 1 August 2002. This charge is levied only on persons who attend at accident and emergency departments without a referral note from their doctor and applies only for the first visit of any episode of care. As well as providing hospitals with a source of income, the charge is important as an incentive towards the appropriate use of accident and emergency departments. The statutory inpatient charge increased by €3 to €36 per overnight or day case, subject to a maximum of €360 in any year. The inpatient charge had not increased since 1 January 2000.
Charges in respect of private and semi-private rooms in public hospitals increased by 10% on 1 August 2002. These private patient charges are additional to the statutory inpatient charge and are a contribution towards overall hospital running costs and represent less than 50% of the real cost in major hospitals.
Where people cannot, without undue hardship, arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants, they 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. In addition, the long-term illness, LTI, scheme provides drugs and medicines free of charge to persons who suffer from any of a range of conditions, and who do not hold medical cards. Beneficiaries of the LTI and medical card schemes are not affected by the increase in the DPS threshold. I should add that these increased charges were introduced as an alternative to a reduction in the volume of health services provided and, against the background outlined, I do not regard them as unreasonable.
