Denis Naughten
Question:173 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Health and Children the medical card income limits for 2004; the level of hospital charges for 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30576/03]
Written Answers. - Medical Cards.
Increases in charges for in-patient services and attendance at accident and emergency departments, from which medical card holders are exempt, will take effect from 1 January 2004. The public hospital statutory in-patient bed charge will be increased by €5 to €45 per night, subject to a maximum payment in any 12 consecutive months of €450. Attendance at accident and emergency departments is subject to a charge where the patient does not have a letter of referral from a general practitioner. This charge, which applies only to the first visit in any episode of care, will be increased by €5 to €45.
In addition to the above statutory charges, the charge for private or semi-private accommodation in a public hospital will increase by 15% from 1 January next and the new charges are as follows:
|
Hospital Category |
PrivateAccommodation |
Semi-PrivateAccommodation |
Day-care |
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
Health Board Regional Hospitals Voluntary and Joint Board Teaching Hospitals |
401 |
314 |
289 |
|
Health Board County Hospitals Voluntary Non-Teaching Hospitals |
334 |
269 |
239 |
|
Health Board District Hospitals |
179 |
153 |
133 |
With regard to medical card guidelines, income guidelines are drawn up each year by the health board/authority chief executive officers to assist in the determination of a person's eligibility for a medical card and these are revised annually in line with the consumer price index, CPI. However, it should be noted that the guidelines are not statutorily binding and even though a person's income exceeds the guidelines, a medical card may still be awarded if the chief executive officer considers that his\her medical needs or other circumstances would justify this. It is open to all persons to apply to the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board for health services if they are unable to provide these services for themselves or their dependants without hardship.
I expect to be advised of the increased medical card guidelines that will apply in 2004 in early January 2004.