Primary Care Reimbursement Service Payments

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 May 2013

Thursday, 2 May 2013

Questions (224)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

224. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the statutory basis for the current procedures applied by the PCRS when assessing undue hardship and unduly burdensome. [20894/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

Under the Health Act 1970, as amended, the HSE is responsible for assessing an individual's entitlement to a medical card and a GP visit card. Section 45 provides that adult persons who, in the opinion of the HSE are unable, without due hardship, to arrange general practitioner medical and surgical services for themselves and their dependents are deemed to be persons with full eligibility.

Section 58 provides that the HSE will make available general practitioner medical and surgical services for adult persons and their dependents for whom, in the opinion of the HSE, it would be unduly burdensome for those persons to arrange such services. In deciding whether or not a person comes with these categories, the HSE shall have regard to the person's overall financial situation in view of the person's reasonable expenditure, including his or her dependents.