Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 October 2004
123 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she has plans to restore the 5,565 medical cards which have been removed from persons in County Kerry since 1 January 1997; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26426/04]
View answerThe determination of eligibility of applications for medical card is a matter by legislation for the chief executive officer of the relevant health board. Assessment of eligibility is based upon the applicants' incomes and their medical needs. Applicants have the right of appeal in cases of refusal and are normally advised of this by their local health board.
Generally, the reduction in recent years in the number of medical cards may be attributed to the increase in the number of people in employment and also the improved economic situation nationally. Another factor which affects this area is the review by health boards of medical card databases. Since 2003 this has led to the removal of more than 100,000 inappropriate entries from these databases. Reasons for deletions included duplicate entries, change of address, cases where the medical card holder is deceased, ineligibility due to changed circumstances and normal reviews.
The Government is fully committed to the extension of medical card coverage, as set out in the programme for Government. This will focus on people on low incomes. The timing of the introduction of the extension will be decided having regard to the prevailing budgetary position.
124 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if a directive or instruction has been issued from her Department to the health boards in recent years relating to discretionary medical cards; if so, the nature and content of such directive or instructions; if the number of discretionary medical cards awarded by health boards has reduced considerably in recent years; if she has asked health boards to clamp down on issuing discretionary medical cards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26427/04]
View answerAn agreement was reached with the Irish Medical Organisation in July 2001 in respect of a special allowance to be paid to general practitioners for each person on their GMS panels who hold a discretionary medical card. The notional number at that time was 20,000. A letter issued to chief executive officers of health boards in April 2002 on the definition of a discretionary card for the purpose of this special payment. It stated that the definition was to cover persons whose income exceeded the income guidelines and whose medical condition required a GP visitation rate significantly above the norm that would result in increased costs. The chief executive officers were reminded of this definition in July 2002 and asked to ensure the numbers of cards in this category met the qualifying criteria. A subgroup of health board officials, led by HeBE and in consultation with my Department, is considering the issue.
My Department has requested information from the health boards on the number of discretionary cards issued in each county in recent years. All the responses have not been received. Upon receipt of this information, it may be possible to identify a change in numbers. No instruction was issued regarding who should be given a discretionary medical card, as this is the statutory responsibility of the chief executive officer of each health board-authority.
