The Health Repayment Scheme Appeals Office is an independent office established to provide an appeals service to those who wish to appeal the decision of the Scheme Administrator under the Health (Repayment Scheme) Act 2006. Up to 26 September 2008 the Health Repayment Scheme Appeals Office has received 4,158 completed appeal forms. Two Appeals Officers have been appointed to consider appeals.
The Appeals Office has advised my Department that the average waiting time for an appeal to be decided on is 91 days. The Appeals Officers must investigate each appeal independently, these investigations can require additional reviews by the Health Service Executive and the Scheme Administrator and certain appeals present a high level of complexity. In addition a very high percentage of appellants have requested an Oral Hearing. Up to 26 September 2008 the Appeals Officers have carefully and thoroughly considered and assessed 2,158 appeals and have issued decisions to each of these appellants. On amount appeals where the decision of the Appeals Officer varies with that of the Scheme Administrator the Consumer Price Index element is updated to the date of the revised offer.