Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 July 2014
733. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 3 of 25 June 2014, if he will confirm that all persons who were on the long-term illness scheme and were also medical card holders at any stage during the three-year reimbursement period will receive said reimbursement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29452/14]
View answer792. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the prescription charges being incurred by clients who transferred from the long-term illness cards to medical cards have been resolved; if refunds will be issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29944/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 733 and 792 together.
Persons suffering from prescribed conditions can get free drugs, medicines and medical and surgical appliances for the treatment of that condition 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 the 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 LTI Scheme it cost the HSE considerably more to supply medicines under the LTI 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, Minister Reilly, announced (on the 2nd of 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 LTI can now access medication for their qualifying long term illness condition(s) under the LTI Scheme.
The HSE is actively in the process of identifying any person who had eligibility under the Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme and who, while having concurrent eligibility under the Medical Card Scheme, paid prescription charges prior to the 1st December 2013 for drugs, medicines, medical and surgical appliances related to their qualifying long term illness(es) dispensed under the GMS Scheme, by a registered pharmacist.
The HSE is collating the details regarding the numbers of people affected and how much they will be refunded. It is anticipated that the HSE will be in a position to make refunds to the relevant individuals in the coming weeks.
