Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 October 2013
542. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health to outline the support available to Irish citizens who have to travel outside the country for testing and treatment of rare conditions such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome; and if he will review current policies. [41967/13]
View answerThe HSE operates a Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS), for persons entitled to treatment in another EU/EEA member state or Switzerland under EU Regulation 1408/71, as per procedures set out in EU Regulation 574/72 and in accordance with Department of Health and Children Guidelines. Within these governing EU Regulations and the Department of Health and Children’s Guidelines, the TAS provides for the cost of approved treatments in another EU/EEA member state or Switzerland through the issue of form E112 (IE).
The TAS allows for an Irish based consultant to refer a patient that is normally resident in Ireland for treatment in another EU member state or Switzerland, where the treatment in question meets the following criteria:
(a) The application to refer a patient abroad has been assessed and a determination given before that patient goes abroad.
(b) Following clinical assessment, the referring consultant certifies the following:
- They recommend the patient be treated in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland;
- The treatment is medically necessary and will meet the patient's needs;
- The treatment is a proven form of medical treatment and is not experimental or test treatment;
- The treatment is in a recognised hospital or other institution and is under the control of a registered medical practitioner;
- The hospital outside the state will accept EU/EEA form E112 (IE).
The presence of a rare illness, such as Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, is not of itself criteria for availing of treatment abroad: most rare diseases are treated without any need for recourse to services in other jurisdictions. Patients in conjunction with their Irish based public referring hospital consultant have the ability to apply to the HSE TAS seeking access to public healthcare outside the state through model form E112. Applications to the TAS are processed and a determination given in accordance with the statutory framework prior to a patient travelling to avail of treatment. Approved applicants/patient's hospital treatment costs are covered through the issue of form E112 (IE) for specific identified episodes of care. The governing Regulations do not provide for the patient's travel or subsistence costs but the HSE in line with its national travel policy provides funding for patient's air or sea fares. Once a patient is discharged from a specific episode of care abroad, their care immediately reverts to their Irish based consultant.
