Persons suffering from prescribed conditions can get free drugs, medicines and medical and surgical appliances for the treatment of the conditions 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 have both a medical card and an LTI book, it was HSE policy that they should use their medical card to access medicines. The main reason for this was that when a retail mark-up of 20% was payable to pharmacists for items supplied under the long-term illness scheme, it cost the HSE considerably more to supply medicines under that scheme than under the GMS scheme.
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, the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, announced on 2 July 2013 the elimination of the retail mark-up. As a result, the HSE revised its policy on this matter and persons who have both a medical card and an LTI book can now access medication for their qualifying long-term illness condition or conditions under the long-term illness scheme.
The HSE is actively involved in the process of identifying any person who had eligibility under the long-term illness scheme and who, while having concurrent eligibility under the medical card scheme, paid prescription charges prior to 1 December 2013 for drugs, medicines, medical and surgical appliances related to their qualifying long-term illness or illnesses dispensed under the GMS scheme by a registered pharmacist. It is collating the details of the numbers affected and how much they will be refunded. It is anticipated that it will be in a position to make refunds to the relevant individuals in the coming weeks.