Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 February 2014
722. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if discretionary medical cards are being awarded for primary immunodeficiencies, PID, patients; if he will provide in tabular form the number of PID patients who have been awarded discretionary medical cards over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7851/14]
View answerUnder the Health Act 1970, as amended, eligibility for a medical card or a GP visit card is determined primarily on the basis of an assessment of financial means. If an applicant’s means are above the financial thresholds, as outlined in the National Assessment Guidelines, the HSE routinely considers whether the refusal of eligibility will result in undue financial hardship for the applicant or any dependants. Eligibility may be granted, on a discretionary basis, if the applicant cannot arrange general practitioner, medical and surgical services, for themselves and their dependants, without undue financial hardship.
Medical card or GP visit card eligibility is not granted solely on the basis of a person’s medical condition (other than persons affected by the drug Thalidomide or persons affected by Symphysiotomy). Medical card applicants or their dependants, affected with primary immunodeficiency conditions, who submit supporting medical reports with an application for a medical card and who do not qualify for a medical card on an assessment of means, have the management of their medical condition considered during the assessment process to determine if the refusal of eligibility would result in undue financial hardship for the applicant or any dependants.
I am advised that PCRS management has, in recent weeks, met with a number of health care professionals from Crumlin Children's Hospital who have specific responsibility for the treatment of children with significant primary immune deficiency disorders. PCRS management clarified the process by which the assessment of medical card applications is undertaken and the granting of eligibility under the Medical Card Scheme. The health care professionals were briefed on primary care services, available locally, to this cohort of patients under the auspices of other community health schemes and the pathways to access such services.
The HSE does not collate or report data on the specific medical conditions of those persons granted medical cards or GP visit cards.
