Derek Nolan
Question:336. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Health his views on introducing a policy whereby medical cards for sick children are not means tested; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45004/14]
View answerTuesday, 25 November 2014
Questions (336)
Written answers
Eligibility for health services in Ireland, as set out in the Health Act 1970 as amended, is based primarily on ordinary residence and means. All people ordinarily resident in the State are eligible for publicly-funded hospital services. In addition, about two-fifths of the population are eligible for publicly-funded primary care services. The Health (General Practitioner Service) Act 2014, which provides an entitlement for all children aged under 6 to a GP service without fees, was enacted on 25th July 2014. Under a Framework Agreement, the Department of Health, the HSE and the IMO are engaged intensively on the introduction of GP services without fees for children aged under 6. The Government's aim is to have universal GP care without fees for children under 6 years implemented early next year subject to the conclusion of the present discussions and the completion of a fee-setting process.
The Deputy will be aware that the Director-General of the HSE established an Expert Panel to examine and recommend the range of medical conditions that would be considered as a basis of eligibility for health services. The Expert Panel report was presented to the Minister last month.
The Expert Panel concluded that it was not feasible, desirable, nor ethically justifiable to list medical conditions in priority order for medical card eligibility. It also concluded that a person’s means should remain the main qualifier for a medical card and recommended that the existing eligibility assessment should be extended beyond financial hardship to include an assessment of the burden of a medical condition, but it noted that there are significant challenges to including such an assessment. It is however recognised by Government that there is a need for discretion and sensitivity in assessing eligibility, which will take into account an individual's medical condition and needs, rather than a list of specific medical conditions. In that context, the Government has approved a number of immediate improvements that the HSE is making to the medical card system.