Written Answers Nos. 739-62
739. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Health if he will consider using a number of hotels that are currently held under the National Asset Management Agency to be reassigned as low-dependency nursing homes (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8032/14]
View answerThe HSE and Department of Health are considering the potential of possible new models of support for older people, including any potential that may be offered by properties within NAMA's portfolio. This process is still very much at the exploratory stage and no firm decisions have yet been taken in this context.
740. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the position regarding adult speech and language therapy service in Waterford city; the impact this is having on patients there including neurology patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8038/14]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
741. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if seven nursing staff intended to deliver the national epilepsy care programme at Cork University Hospital have yet to be deployed; if he will outline the services intended to be provided at that facility and those currently in place; his plans to address this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8039/14]
View answerThe Epilepsy National Clinical Care Programme provides for the commissioning of a Regional Epilepsy Monitoring Unit to be based in Cork University Hospital. This Unit will provide accessible, comprehensive care for patients in the Southern area, particularly those with acutely unstable and disabling chronic Epilepsy. I am informed that the Unit will open no later than the 31st March 2014. I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy with the specific information requested.
742. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Health his plans to reduce the fees paid or to introduce revised fee structures to consultants operating in public hospitals in an effort to address the growing cost of private health insurance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8040/14]
View answerI assume the Deputy is referring to private fees generated by some consultants who, subject to the contract they hold, may engage in privately remunerated professional medical practice in public hospitals up to a maximum of, typically, 20% of the consultant's workload. The level of such fees paid is a commercial decision made by individual health insurers.
I have consistently raised the issue of managing costs with the private health insurers and I have strongly urged them to reduce their overall costs including professional fees. While there has already been some reduction in such professional fees with VHI reporting that it has reduced consultant fees to pre-2004 levels, I will continue to urge all health insurers to achieve further fee and cost reductions in the interests of consumers.
In this regard, I appointed Mr. Pat McLoughlin to work with insurance companies and my Department on an independent review process to identify effective cost management strategies to help ensure the long-term sustainability of the private health insurance market. I am currently examining Phase 1 of Mr. McLoughlin's report, Review of Measures to Reduce Costs in the Private Health Insurance Market 2013, which was published on 26th December 2013. The second phase of Mr. McLoughlin’s review commenced in January 2014 with a view to reporting within three months, and will study further the drivers behind rising costs in the health insurance industry and seek to address them.
743. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the amounts currently being charged in public hospitals for basic inpatient overnight accommodation in public, semi-private and private beds; if there are different pricing structures for those patients availing of private health insurance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8041/14]
View answerThe Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides that all persons ordinarily resident in the country are entitled, subject to certain charges, to all in-patient public hospital services in public wards including consultant services and out-patient pubic hospital services including consultants services. For persons availing of public in-patient services, the current public hospital statutory in-patient charge is €75 per night, to a maximum of €750 in any twelve consecutive months. Medical card holders are exempt from public hospital charges.
Section 55 of the Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides for the charging of private in-patients. An essential element of the eligibility arrangements is that the public or private status of a patient must be specified on admission to hospital. Where a patient elects to be treated privately by a consultant the hospital must treat that patient as a private patient. Persons who opt to be private on admission to hospital are liable for the fees of all consultants involved in his or her care and for such charges under Section 55 for that episode of care. With effect from 1 January 2014, private hospital charges, as provided for in the Health (Amendment) Act 2013 are:
|
Column (1) |
Column (2) |
Column (3) |
Column (4) |
Column (5) |
|
Reference Number |
Hospital Category |
Daily charge for in-patient services where overnight accommodation provided in a single occupancy room |
Daily charge for in-patient services where overnight accommodation provided in a multiple occupancy room |
Daily charge for day case in-patient services where overnight accommodation is not provided. |
|
1. |
Hospital specified in Fifth Schedule |
€1,000 |
€813 |
€407 |
|
2. |
Hospital specified in Sixth Schedule |
€800 |
€659 |
€329 |
744. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details in tabular form by hospital for 2011, 2012 and 2013 of the amounts of bad debts resulting from unpaid hospital bills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8042/14]
View answer745. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details in tabular form by public hospital of the amounts of uncollected revenue from private health insurance companies for the years 2011, 2012 and 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8043/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 744 and 745 together.
These questions have been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
746. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the proposed introduction of measures that will lead to the establishment of minimum standards, qualifications and inspection regimes for private and public providers of home care for elderly persons and vulnerable adults in their own homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8051/14]
View answerGovernment for National Recovery, 2011-2016 commits to developing and implementing national standards for home support services, which will be subject to HIQA inspection. Primary legislation and resources will be required for the introduction of a statutory regulation system for home care services. This is being considered in the wider context of the licensing of Public and Private Health Service Providers.
I would like to emphasise, however that statutory regulation or licensing is only one way of improving quality and safety and the HSE is already progressing a range of measures to improve its Home Care provision overall, to standardise services nationally and to promote access, quality, and safety. These include: 1. A Procurement Framework for Home Care Services (with quality and screening requirements) came into effect in mid-2012. These apply to services procured by the HSE from external providers. 2. National Guidelines for the Standardised Implementation of the Home Care Package Scheme were introduced in parallel with above. 3. New National Quality Guidelines for the Home Help Service have been prepared. Following negotiations between the HSE and SIPTU under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission, the LRC issued recommendations in September in relation to annualised contracts and minimum hours for HH staff directly employed by HSE. The draft Guidelines are being reviewed in the light of these recommendations.
747. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health the health cover options available to non-citizens planning to retire here (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8068/14]
View answerIn relation to an individual's entitlement to publicly funded health care, eligibility for health services in Ireland is based primarily on residency and means. Determining whether a person is "ordinarily resident" is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE).
The Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides for two categories of eligibility for all persons ordinarily resident in the country, i.e. full eligibility (medical card) and limited eligibility (all others). Persons with full eligibility (medical card holders) are entitled to a range of services without charge, including general practitioner services, prescribed drugs and medicines, all in-patient public hospital services in public wards including consultants services, all out-patient public hospital services including consultants services, dental, ophthalmic and aural services and appliances and maternity and infant care services. People with limited eligibility (non-medical card holders) are entitled, subject to certain charges, to all in-patient public hospital services in public wards including consultant services and out-patient public hospital services including consultants services.
It is recommended, however, that the persons concerned, should contact the HSE local office in the area they want to move to (Dingle) and confirm how they might meet the conditions for ordinarily resident status if they wish to apply for public health care. In relation to private health insurance, Open Enrolment Regulations, made under the Health Insurance Acts, provide for maximum waiting periods for eligibility for payment under a health insurance contracting payments resulting from injury or accident, in respect of first entry to health insurance and in respect of pre-existing medical conditions. The maximum waiting periods that an insurer may apply under the legislation is as follows: 26 weeks, in respect of a person who is under the age of 55 years; 52 weeks, in respect of a person who is of or over the age of 55 years and under the age of 65 years; 104 weeks, in respect of a person who is 65 years and over.
In the case of "pre-existing" conditions the maximum waiting period for eligibility for payments under a health insurance contract is: 5 years, for a person who is under the age of 55 years; 7 years, for a person who is of or over the age of 55 years and under the age of 60 years; 10 years, for a person who is of or over the age of 60 years and under the age of 65 years.
748. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding home help in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8078/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
749. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Health the reason an application for capital funding (details supplied) in County Cork was not recommended for funding by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8082/14]
View answerApplications for National Lottery grants far exceed resources and as the funds available for 2013 have been disbursed it is not possible, unfortunately, to assist in this particular case. However, if funding for this project is required in 2014, the organisation may wish to apply for a grant from the 2014 National Lottery allocation.
750. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in respect of an appeal for a medical card in the case of the son of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8086/14]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
752. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the closing of Raheen Day Centre in Sligo town; if the closure of the centre will be in line with the Health Service Executive policy document A Vision for Change which promotes the provision of such community services; and if he will make a statement on the matter.' [8137/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
753. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Kildare will receive a date for knee replacement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8140/14]
View answerThe National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2013, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the Health Service Executive, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists. In relation to the specific query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
754. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Cavan may expect to have a decision made on their medical card review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8145/14]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
755. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding financially assisting a person seeking treatment abroad (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8161/14]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
756. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Health if he will review the risk equalisation scheme currently in operation having regard to the fact a significant proportion of the elderly are now insured by companies other than the VHI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8162/14]
View answerThe Risk Equalisation Scheme provides for a cost subsidy from younger, healthier people to older less healthy people and the compensation is provided in favour of the individual consumer and not in favour of any particular insurance company. A company with a worse than average risk profile (and therefore higher claims costs) will be a net beneficiary from the scheme while a company with a greater proportion of younger and healthier people will be a net contributor to the scheme but will benefit considerably from having much lower claims costs. Therefore, all insurers are in receipt of payments from the Risk Equalisation Fund in respect of their older customers, based on the number of older persons they have insured. I would encourage all commercial insurers to actively recruit older members to further balance spread of older customers.
757. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health the reason the Health Service Executive has not yet provided either day care or respite service to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8184/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
758. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health the number of persons waiting for a kidney transplant here at present; the average waiting time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8191/14]
View answerI have been informed by the HSE that 535 people are on the waiting list for renal transplant at present. The average waiting time is 29.8 months.
I am committed to making every effort to increase the level of organ donation and transplantation. In 2013 a record total of 294 organ transplantations were performed in Ireland. Kidney transplantations accounted for 185 of these, with 38 of these involving living donors.
I have arranged for the inclusion of an additional €2.92m for organ donation and transplantation in the 2014 National Service Plan of the HSE. This funding will facilitate the employment of 19 whole-time equivalent posts involving Consultants, Network Link Nurses, Organ Procurement Co-ordinators and Quality Officers. It is envisaged that this initiative will greatly facilitate the effort to increase the levels of organ donation and transplantation to the benefit of patients and their families.
759. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8202/14]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
760. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a hospital appointment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare. [8203/14]
View answerThe National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2013, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the Health Service Executive, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to this particular query raised by the Deputy, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.
761. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the current resource and staffing levels for speech and language therapists working in the disability service early intervention and school age teams in Laois and Offaly; the timescale for children waiting for this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8210/14]
View answer762. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the current resources and staffing levels of occupational therapists and psychologists working in the disability service early intervention and school age teams in Laois and Offaly; the waiting time for children to be seen by the occupational therapist; the maximum waiting time a child is currently on this waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8211/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 761 and 762 together.
The Government is committed to the provision and development of services for children with a disability, including early intervention and school age services, within available resources. While these services are in the process of being reconfigured under the HSE’s National Programme on Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (0-18 years), it is important to note that all HSE areas have significant services in place for children with disabilities aged up to eighteen years. These are provided directly by the HSE or by voluntary service providers funded by the HSE.
The aim of the Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People Programme is to achieve a national, unified approach to delivering disability health services so that there is a clear pathway to services for all children, regardless of where they live, what school they go to or the nature of their disability. An additional €4m has been specifically allocated in 2014 to drive implementation of the Programme. This equates to approximately 80 therapy posts.
Almost 60 geographic-based multi-disciplinary teams have been established to date under the Programme as part of the reconfigured service model. It is hoped that a further 30 teams will be reconfigured this year, bringing the overall total to approximately 90 teams by the end of 2014. These figures reflect all children's disability teams that provide early intervention and school age services to children aged up to eighteen years. The transition to this new model is taking place on a phased basis and, importantly, includes consultation and engagement with stakeholders, such as service users and their families.
Within this context I have asked the HSE to provide the Deputy with the detailed information requested concerning children's disability services in Laois/Offaly.
