Written Answers Nos. 191-197
191. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the death of a person (details supplied); if the abortionist who caused the injury to the person is practising in any clinic in the UK that receives referrals from Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49662/13]
View answerI would like in the first instance to offer my sympathies to the family involved in this very unfortunate case.
I have been advised that the circumstances surrounding this patient's death were investigated by the HSE under the National Incident Protocol following which 11 actions were recommended. I have been informed by the HSE that the Rotunda Hospital has now implemented all 11 recommendations.
I have no information on the other issues raised by the Deputy.
192. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the allowances paid to management and staff in the Health Service Executive and in the Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49675/13]
View answerThe allowances currently in payment to officers of my Department are as follows:
|
Allowance |
Number in receipt of Allowance |
|
Franking and Machine Allowance |
4 |
|
Higher Duties Allowance |
1 |
|
Key Holder |
3 |
|
Private Secretary Minister / Minister of State |
10 (Includes 7 staff previously in the post who retain a percentage of the allowance) |
|
Private Secretary Secretary General |
3 (Includes 2 staff previously in the post who retain a percentage of the allowance) |
With regard to management and staff of the Health Service Executive (including those in payment by the HSE who are currently on loan or secondment to my Department) the HSE has been asked to collate the data sought as soon as possible and it will be provided directly to the Deputy by them when available.
193. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if it is the case that those patients on the long-term illness scheme and with a medical card are liable for the prescription charge fee; if there have been recent changes regarding same; the date on which this came into effect; the position regarding a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49682/13]
View answer200. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding lowering the prescription charge cap per month which is too high for elderly persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49706/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 200 together.
As announced in Budget 2014, it has become necessary to increase the prescription charge due to the very difficult and challenging economic environment which requires the Government to achieve additional savings in health expenditure with €666 million of savings targeted in 2014. The increase in prescription charges will account for €43 million of this target. The Government is committed to achieving these savings while protecting front line services to the most vulnerable to the greatest extent possible.
Medical card holders will be required to pay a €2.50 charge per item for medicines and other prescription items supplied to them by community pharmacists, subject to a cap of €25 per month for each person or family. Prescription charges do not apply to children in the care of the HSE or to methadone supplied to patients participating in the Methadone Treatment Scheme. These new rates will be effective from 1 December 2013.
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 an LTI book, 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. There is no retail mark-up for items supplied under the GMS Scheme. However, following a review 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 under the LTI 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 decided to terminate the policy outlined above. A circular advising of this change in policy is to issue to pharmacists shortly.
In relation to the individual case, the HSE is responsible for the administration of the primary care schemes, therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
194. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health if he will reconsider the closure of a laboratory (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49684/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
195. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if his Department will carry out a health promotion programme to help protect Irish women by ensuring that they are made aware of the dangers of abortion and the fact that abortion has been a factor in the deaths of at least two women living here while another Irish woman almost died following an abortion in a clinic (details supplied) in Britain in recent times; if this programme will ensure that women are fully aware that death is a real risk following abortion; his plans to date and future plans in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49688/13]
View answerThe HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme (formerly the Crisis Pregnancy Agency) is the national programme in charge of developing and implementing a national strategy to address the issue of crisis pregnancy in Ireland. One of its main objective is to improve access to consistent high-quality crisis pregnancy counselling and post-abortion services.
In relation to the Deputy's specific query, I have referred the matter to the HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme for attention and direct reply to the Deputy, so that they may provide further details on their work in this area.
196. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 39 of 13 November 2013, the other State Departments and sections of Departments and all other State agencies that are notified of deaths by the death event publication service, DEPS; the benefits that have accrued to the State since the introduction of this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49692/13]
View answerThe Department of Health does not have responsibility for the DEPS service and therefore cannot provide the data requested by the Deputy.
197. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the elderly, the medical card and the assessment process. [49699/13]
View answerI understand that the Deputy is referring to the new eligibility rules for medical cards for persons aged over 70 years, announced in the Budget 2014. These rules will not take effect until 2014, after primary legislation has been enacted. The implementation date will be announced and publicised in advance by the Department and HSE.
It is important to note that only one in ten over-70s will be affected by Budget 2014. As the new income limits are more than twice the level of the basic State pension, it is clear that the vast majority of over-70s medical card holders will not be affected. Those affected by the changes will continue to have access to GP services without charges. Under the Drug Payments Scheme, the HSE will meet the prescription drug costs of these older people without a medical card who face drugs costs higher than the DPS threshold of €144 per month, which is equivalent to expenditure on prescription drugs being capped at about €33 per week for a person earning €500 per week or a couple earning €900 per week.
The Deputy may also wish to note that persons aged 70 or older, who are assessed as ineligible under the gross income thresholds, may also have their eligibility assessed under the means tested medical card scheme where they face particularly high expenses, e.g., nursing home or medication costs. This assessment is based on net income and assessable outgoing expenses. The qualifying income thresholds under this scheme are lower than over -70s gross income thresholds. Furthermore, persons aged over 70 years may still be eligible for a medical card on a discretionary basis where they face undue hardship in arranging medical services as a result of medical or social circumstances.
