I propose to take Questions Nos. 1199 and 1245 together.
Persons suffering from prescribed conditions, who are not already medical card holders, can get free drugs, medicines and medical and surgical appliances for the treatment of that condition under the Long Term Illness Scheme. Medical card holders are required to pay prescription charges. Prescription charges are not payable in respect of items supplied under the Long Term Illness Scheme.
In the case of persons who had both the medical card and LTI, the HSE policy was that they should use their medical card to access medicines. The main reason for this was that the supply of medicines under the LTI cost the HSE considerably more than under the GMS Scheme. A retail mark-up of 20% was payable to pharmacists for items supplied under the LTI Scheme. However, following a review of the rates of fees payable to health professionals (under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, 2009) my colleague, Minister Reilly, announced (on the 2nd of July) the elimination of the retail mark-up. There is no retail mark-up for items supplied under the GMS Scheme.
In light of the elimination of the retail mark-up, the HSE was asked by my Department to review its policy. Following this review, the HSE recently instructed all Local Health Offices that they should no longer refuse to process a Long Term Illness Book application where the patient holds a medical card. A circular advising of this change in policy is to issue to pharmacists today.
