Written Answers Nos. 724-736
724. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if general practitioners are allowed to decide the medical status of a person when applying for a medical card; if the decision of the GP is final; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36563/13]
View answer725. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if the status of the general practitioner medical reports to the Health Service Executive in respect of the medical status of an applicant when applying for a medical card is final; if this will then facilitate the removal of the requirement for applicants to provide second and third medical reports for desk assessment within the medical card department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36565/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 724 and 725 together.
Under the provisions of the Health Act 1970, the assessment for a medical card is determined primarily by reference to the means, including the income and expenditure, of the applicant and his or her partner and dependants. An application for a medical card must be signed off by a GP who may provide information on the applicant's medical status.
Where an applicant is over the income threshold applicable to them to qualify for a medical card their application is considered on discretionary grounds. In order for discretionary medical circumstances to be taken into consideration, a medical report is required. Where an applicant has indicated on their application that there are discretionary medical circumstances present, and where no medical report has been provided, PCRS will issue a medical report to that applicant for completion and return.
In certain circumstances, where it is considered necessary to make a final assessment of an application for medical card/GP Visit Card eligibility, PCRS may request further detail in the form of an additional medical report.
If, at any time after a decision on their application is reached, an individual feels there has been a change in their circumstances material to their medical card eligibility, that person may submit to PCRS a new medical card application complete with all relevant supporting documentation, including an up-to-date medical report where appropriate. A new assessment of their eligibility will then be undertaken on the basis of the information provided.
726. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health to set out his proposals to establish a forum on long-term residential care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36569/13]
View answerI refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 674 of the 28th May 2013.
727. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the up-to-date position regarding the proposed primary care centre for Monaghan town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36570/13]
View answerThe delivery of health care infrastructure is a service matter. Therefore your query has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
728. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Health for details on the newly established counselling in primary care service; the way access to this service will be distributed throughout the country; the number of councillors and appointments available in Cork through this service; the number of medical card holders in Cork expected to benefit from this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36591/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
729. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the saving that would be achieved from improving the occupancy of existing designated private beds in public hospitals to 70%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36611/13]
View answerI have asked the Health Service Executive for a report on the issue raised by the Deputy. I will revert to the Deputy on the matter as soon as possible.
730. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the saving that would be achieved by a reduction in the average length of stay in an acute hospital bed by half a day; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36612/13]
View answerAs this is a service issue, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy.
731. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health to set out the number of staff and associated payroll costs for Health Service Executive staff on management and administrative grades; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36613/13]
View answerAs the issue raised is a matter for the HSE, I have requested the Executive to respond directly to the Deputy.
733. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the savings that would be achieved from excluding households with an income greater than €100,000 from making a claim under the drugs payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36615/13]
View answer734. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the approximate cost of reducing the monthly threshold for the drug payment scheme from €132 a month to €120 a month; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36616/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 733 and 734 together.
Under the Drug Payment Scheme, no individual or family pays more than €144 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The scheme significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals incurring ongoing expenditure on medicines. In addition, people who cannot, without undue hardship, arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants may be entitled to a medical card. In the assessment process, the Health Service Executive can take into account medical costs incurred by an individual or a family. Those who are not eligible for a medical card may still be able to avail of a GP visit card, which covers the cost of GP consultations.
It is not possible to estimate the savings that would be achieved from excluding households with an income greater than €100,000 because this would require income data which the HSE's Primary Care Reimbursement Service does not hold (as the Drug Payment Scheme is not means-tested). It is estimated that the cost of reducing the threshold for the Drug Payment Scheme equates to approximately €1 million per annum for every €1 reduction.
735. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the rationale for the disposal of unused medicines properly campaign organised by the Health Service Executive; the length of time this campaign has been running to date; where this campaign has operated and is currently in operation since the campaign’s initiation; if he will provide information on the total volume and an estimate of the retail monetary value of all such medicines collected by the HSE in each of its areas; the amount this campaign has cost the HSE to operate since inception; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36647/13]
View answerThe HSE has, from time to time, run campaigns in conjunction with community pharmacies to enable people to return out of date or unused medicines for disposal. This initiative called the DUMP Campaign ("Dispose of Unused Medication Properly") was originally established in 2002. As the HSE is responsible for the administration of the Disposal of Unused Medicines Properly Campaign, therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
736. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the name of each unlicensed medicine which has been made available to Irish patients in order to meet supply demands in circumstances where authorised medicine or medicines have either not been available or had insufficient supply in the years 2010, 2011 and 2012 inclusive; the total reimbursement cost to the Health Service Executive of these unlicensed medicines over each of these years; for each such medicine, if he will outline the unit reimbursement cost of the authorised medicine and the reimbursement unit cost of the unlicensed medicine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36648/13]
View answerThe HSE is responsible for the supply of medicines, therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
