Jim O'Keeffe
Question:194 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health and Children if the enhanced nursing home subvention, when granted, is payable from the date of application therefor. [14969/03]
Written Answers. - Nursing Home Subventions.
The Nursing Home (Subvention) Regulations 1993 are administered by the health boards and the Eastern Regional Health Authority. There are currently three maximum rates payable –€114.30, €152.40 and €190.50 – in accordance with three levels of dependency – medium, high and maximum – which are eligible for subvention. A health board may pay more than the maximum rate of subvention relative to an individual's level of dependency, for example, in cases where personal funds are exhausted. This is on foot of the Nursing Homes Subvention) (Amendment) Regulations 1996, which amended the Nursing Home (Subvention) Regulations 1993 by inserting articles 22.3 and 22.4 permitting health boards to contract beds in private nursing homes and to pay more than the maximum rates of subvention in such cases. However, the application of these provisions is a matter for the individual health board concerned in the context of meeting increasing demand for subventions within the board's revenue allocation as notified annually in the letter of determination. This is in keeping with the provisions of the Health (Amendment) (No. 3) Act 1996. As with applications for nursing home subvention, when an application for enhanced subvention is granted, the increased rate of subvention will be backdated to the date when all the appropriate documentation in respect of the application was received by the health board.