Skip to main content
Normal View

Prescription Charges

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 June 2014

Wednesday, 25 June 2014

Questions (3)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

3. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the time period applicable for the reimbursement of the prescription charge to persons on the long-term illness scheme who are also medical card holders; the number of persons this affects, the number of persons who have been reimbursed to date; when he expects all those eligible for this refund to receive same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27107/14]

View answer

Oral answers (6 contributions)

This question relates to the announcement by the HSE that it will reimburse patients on the long-term illness scheme who are also medical card holders the prescription charges they were wrongly charged as a result of having to use their medical cards to obtain prescription items, rather their long-term illness card.

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.

As this matter has been ongoing for a number of months, it seems strange that, even at this stage, we cannot obtain information from the HSE on how many people are affected. I have correspondence from the Minister going back to May in which he stated the process had started, yet we still do not have figures for how many are affected.

There is also confusion about the timeframe for reimbursement. The Minister of State has mentioned that it will cover the period July to December 2013 but earlier in his statement he said it was HSE policy that people should obtain items using their medical card all of the time. Since prescription charges were introduced for medical card patients, those on the long-term illness scheme who were entitled to free care have also had to pay prescription charges, according to the Minister of State's response. The reimbursement period should pre-date July 2013 because people on the long-term illness scheme have been paying charges for a long time. The HSE should tell us how many are affected. It should also ensure they are reimbursed straightaway.

The HSE has undertaken to expedite this matter as quickly as possible. As I indicated, it is hoped and anticipated that this will be done in the coming weeks. That is the position and, as the Deputy rightly said, it is related to the fact that people were paying GMS prescription charges they would not have had to pay if they had been able to use the LTI scheme book. The issue has been ironed out and, as I mentioned, the HSE is collating details of the numbers affected. I do not have to hand the exact number affected, but the Deputy and the House can be assured that anyone who is affected will be able to avail of refunds which will be made within the coming weeks.

Will the Minister of State clarify whether people affected before July 2013 will also receive reimbursements? Prescriptions charges were introduced in 2012. There is, therefore, a period up to July 2013 during which people with LTI books were wrongly charged for prescriptions because they obtained medicines while using their medical cards.

I will revert to the Deputy on that matter. The decision was made and announced by the Minister last July. I have indicated that this matter will be dealt with in respect of prescription charges charged prior to 1 December 2013. Prescription charges were introduced in 2010. I will revert to the Deputy with the further details he is seeking. The matter is being expedited by the HSE.

Top
Share