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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 Mar 2003

Vol. 562 No. 4

Written Answers - Health Services.

Liz McManus

Question:

320 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties being experienced by a person (details supplied) in County Galway in accessing the medical care abroad this person needs as a result of the refusal by the Western Health Board; if the case will be dealt with compassionately; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6175/03]

The provision of medical services in this case is the responsibility of the Western Health Board. My Department has asked the chief executive officer of the board to investigate the position and to reply directly to the Deputy. I have also asked the chief executive officer of National Treatment Purchase Fund to investigate the position.

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

321 Mr. O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health and Children the position in regard to people who suffer from haemochromotosis, who are charged for each hospital blood test to check their ferattin and iron levels and who subsequently may need a unit of blood; when he will make a decision on the designation of this condition under the long-term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6191/03]

Entitlement to health services in Ireland is primarily based on residency and means rather than income. Any person, regardless of nationality, who is accepted by the health boards as being ordinarily resident in Ireland is entitled to either full eligibility, category 1, or limited eligibility, category 2, for health services. Persons in category 1 are medical card holders and are entitled to a full range of services without charge, including general practitioner services, prescribed drugs and medicines, all in-patient public hospital services in public wards including consultants' services, all out-patient public hospital services including consultants' services, dental, ophthalmic and aural services and appliances and a maternity and infant care service. Persons in category 2, non-medical card holders, are entitled, subject to certain charges, to all in-patient public hospital services in public wards including consultants' services and out-patient public hospital services including consultants' services. The current public hospital statutory in-patient charge where patients are admitted either as day patients or as in-patients stands at €40 per day, up to a maximum of €400 in any 12 consecutive months. Attendance at accident and emergency departments is subject to a charge of €40 where the patient does not have a referral note from his or her doctor. This charge applies only to the first visit in any episode of care.

Alternatively, one can opt to be the private patient of both the consultant and the hospital. Any patient, whether a medical card holder or not, who opts for treatment in a private hospital or as a private patient in a public hospital is liable for the costs relating to such treatment. 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 long-term illness scheme to include persons with haemochromotosis.

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