Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 October 2004
203 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the position regarding hospital charges for a premature baby who is confined to hospital for a long time in view of the fact that maternity services, including confinement, are free to all mothers and babies; and the stage at which these charges will be levied for such a child. [23943/04]
View answerThe Health (In-Patient Charges) Regulations 1987 specify categories of persons exempted from public hospital statutory in-patient charges, which currently stand at €45 per night up to a maximum of €450 in any 12 consecutive months. As well as those with full eligibility, that is, those covered by the medical card scheme, the categories exempted include infants up to the age of six weeks and women receiving services in respect of motherhood. The 1987 regulations also provide that, pursuant to section 45(7) of the Health Act 1970, a person may be exempted from public hospital charges on hardship grounds if deemed so by the chief executive officer of a health board. In addition, health boards have discretion, in cases of exceptional need, to consider providing additional assistance to individuals where undue hardship would otherwise be caused, and the chief executive officer of the relevant health board should be approached with any concerns in this regard.
