Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 May 2015
138. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the degree to which the medical card application process may be streamlined or simplified, with a view to speeding up the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21195/15]
View answerThe HSE is obliged to operate within the legal parameters as set out in the Health Act 1970 (as amended), which includes the overall financial situation of a person, while also having regard to the variety of circumstances and complexities faced by individuals who apply for a medical card. It aims to ensure that every person who is entitled to a medical card or a GP visit card is given the opportunity to avail of his or her entitlement which necessitates, in some cases, the provision of detailed personal and financial data and supporting documentation. In addition, the HSE routinely examines for indications of medical or social circumstances, which might result in undue financial hardship in arranging medical services, and may seek additional information. In exercising discretion, the HSE may grant eligibility for a medical card. If a more streamlined application process, which required less information from people, were to apply, it could result in a more simplified but less sensitive assessment process relative to an individual's circumstances.
Following on from the publication of the Report of the Expert Panel on Medical Need for Medical Card Eligibility and the Medical Card Process Review in November 2014, a range of actions were identified to improve the operation of the medical card system, particularly for people with significant medical needs.
A detailed programme of reform was drawn up by the HSE with short, medium and long-term actions to be addressed over the period 2015-2016. The HSE appointed a senior manager, at Assistant National Director level, with specific responsibility for Primary Care Schemes and Eligibility, to lead the reform. A Clinical Advisory Group was appointed to provide oversight and guidance to the operation of a more compassionate medical card system and will focus initially on the development of a framework for assessment and measurement of the burden of disease in this context. The Group will provide an interim update on its work in June.
The HSE has already implemented a number of short term and medium term processes identified in the programme of reform and work is underway on the longer term actions, some of which will be informed by the findings of the Clinical Advisory Group. I can advise the Deputy that the HSE has put arrangements in place for a more integrated and sensitive processing of medical card applications involving significant medical conditions with greater interaction between the central office regarding the assessment of a person’s eligibility and the local health office regarding the person’s medical condition and the services that they may require. The HSE has also appointed a senior manager to lead the reform of the systems for handling medical card application and reviews.
