Written Answers Nos. 410-428
410. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the reason a medical card application for a person (details supplied) has not been finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30063/17]
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 was issued to Oireachtas members.
411. Deputy Josepha Madigan asked the Minister for Health his plans to review the requirement for health insurance companies to maintain records for only seven years, in view of health insurance premiums for those first applying for health insurance in later life; and the options available for those persons whose insurance has lapsed for more than seven years and who no longer have relevant records available. [30068/17]
View answerLifetime Community Rating (LCR) was introduced in 2015 and encourages people to take out health insurance at a younger age, thus avoiding late entry loadings of 2% per annum which may apply at age 35 and older. Previous periods of health insurance cover are taken into account in calculating the loading that may apply to individuals, whereby the level of loading is reduced by the relevant credited period(s).
Arising from the introduction of LCR, all health insurers are now required to retain records relating to health insurance contracts for no less than 20 years from the date of termination of the contract. Health insurance companies are also required to provide this information to other health insurance companies should the customer decide to switch contracts or return to private health insurance, as soon as possible and not later than 30 days after receiving a request.
412. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Health if he will review the refusal of a medical card to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30092/17]
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 was issued to Oireachtas members.
413. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the recruitment process associated with a consultant in a hospital (details supplied) since the adoption of the 2015 model of care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30094/17]
View answerIn response to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
414. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite necessary scans for a person (details supplied). [30099/17]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
415. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a physiotherapy appointment for a person (details supplied) in view of the fact this person has waited three years to attend a consultant; the reason there is now a further delay to attend a physiotherapist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30109/17]
View answerAs this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
416. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list to attend a physiotherapist in counties Roscommon and Galway, including Galway city, in 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; the number of persons who have been waiting for six months, 12 months and 18 months or more, respectively, for a physiotherapy appointment in both counties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30110/17]
View answerAs this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
417. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if community welfare officers are responsible for checking the deaths of medical card holders against the names on general practitioner lists; the person or persons responsible for auditing this situation, in view of the fact that medical centres have been outsourced; and, in particular, if monthly lists of death certificates with corresponding PRSI numbers are sent to that auditor. [30111/17]
View answer418. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 435 of 9 May 2017, if sanctions are imposed against general practitioners who continue to receive the capitation fee for deceased medical card patients; the nature of these sanctions; and if they include the delisting of general practitioners from the medical card registrar, in view of the fact that the amount refunded by general practitioners indicates the dysfunctional nature of the present system. [30112/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 417 and 418 together.
The HSE Primary Care Reimbursement Service is responsible for providing reimbursement services to primary care contractors for the provision of health services to members of the public in their own community, including general practitioners contracted to provide services to eligible persons under the General Medical Services scheme. I have therefore arranged for these questions to be referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
419. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the details of the out of hours services available in Cork city and county for a person who may be suicidal; the way in which a person may contact the appropriate services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30121/17]
View answerAs this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
420. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Health the supports available to community first responder groups. [30124/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to you.
421. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Health his plans to launch a national strategy for community first responders. [30125/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to you.
422. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Health if he has examined the supports available in the UK for community first responders; and his views on whether community first responders here are significantly disadvantaged compared to their UK counterparts. [30126/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to you.
423. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health if he will take steps to have a person (details supplied) admitted to the urological department of the Mater hospital in Dublin. [30139/17]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
424. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will schedule an appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30178/17]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the HSE, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
425. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time for a spinal bed in the National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30186/17]
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.
426. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 213 of 4 May 2017, if he will request the HSE to issue a reply to same. [30200/17]
View answerAs the HSE has responsibility for this matter, I have asked the HSE to reply to you as a matter of urgency.
427. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Health if the HSE provides funding for musical therapy for adults and children. [30202/17]
View answerAs this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
428. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30204/17]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
