Written Answers Nos. 140-145
140. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Health if elective surgery has been curtailed or withdrawn in Cappagh Hospital, Finglas; if this is as a result of budget constraints and his plans to resolve the matter. [36021/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
141. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he will consider equalising the qualifying medical card income limits as between couples and single persons. [36027/14]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2008, automatic entitlement to a medical card for persons aged 70 and over ended on 31 December 2008. Under the arrangements effected by the Act, a revised system of assessment for eligibility was introduced for those 70 years of age and over, based on the significantly higher gross income limits rather than the standard net income thresholds. This advantageous arrangement for persons aged over 70 years has facilitated a much greater share of this cohort qualifying for a medical card compared to the general population as a whole.
The gross income limit for an over 70s medical card was set at in law at €500 per week for a single person and at €900 per week for a couple from 1 January 2014. The Government recognises that the living costs of an individual living alone are more than half the living costs of a couple living together and that expenditure does not necessarily diminish relative to the number of people in the household . This is recognised, inter alia, through the provision of the Living Alone Increase and differential income limits for medical cards for persons aged under 70 years between individuals and couples. In that context, the over 70s income limit for a single person was reduced proportionately less than the income limit for a couple under this Budget change. There are no proposals to change this assessment process.
Persons aged 70 or over, who have lost their eligibility for a medical card due to the 2014 budgetary change will continue to have access to free GP services. In addition, as you will be aware, the Government committed to introducing, on a phased basis, a universal GP service for the entire population and the aim is to have the over 70's phase implemented this year or early next year. Furthermore, any person over 70 that does not qualify for a medical card is able to use the DPS (Drugs Payment Scheme) which caps spending on prescription drugs.
It should also be noted that persons aged 70 or older, who are assessed as ineligible under the gross income thresholds, may also have their eligibility assessed under the standard means test, where they face particularly high expenses. This assessment is based on net income and assessable outgoing expenses and the qualifying income thresholds under this scheme are lower than over 70s gross income thresholds.
Furthermore, persons aged over 70 years may still be eligible for a medical card on a discretionary basis where they face undue hardship in arranging medical services as a result of medical or social circumstances.
142. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Health further to his recent parliamentary question responses on his intention to extend the BreastCheck screening programme to 66 to 69-year olds that he will lobby his Cabinet colleagues and get funding for the extension as part of budget 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36028/14]
View answerAs indicated in the previous reply to the Deputy, I fully support the proposed extension of the BreastCheck screening programme to the 65 - 69 year age cohort. The timing of the implementation of this extension of the service will depend on the availability of resources.
143. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if a date will be provided for an operation in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36031/14]
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.
144. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36033/14]
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.
145. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the moratorium on filling new health worker posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36034/14]
View answerThe Government has decided that the numbers employed across the public service must be reduced in order to meet fiscal and budgetary targets. In order to mitigate the impact on frontline services of the reduction in employment numbers, the priority is to reform how health services are delivered in order to ensure a more productive and cost effective health system. The revised working arrangements provided for in the Haddington Road Agreement are a pivotal element in this regard.
It is necessary to continue to control public sector employment, however, subject to approval by senior managers, arrangements are in place in the HSE to allow the recruitment of staff where it has been established that there is an urgent service requirement.
