Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 January 2018
310. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Health the status of his plans to allow IVF treatment be made available to persons with a medical card that are unable to afford it; when this treatment will be covered by the medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2790/18]
View answerThe Government approved the drafting of a Bill on assisted human reproduction (AHR) and associated areas of research in October last year. Officials in my Department are engaging with the Office of the Attorney General in relation to the process of drafting this Bill. The General Scheme is published on my Department’s website and the Joint Committee on Health began pre-legislative scrutiny of the General Scheme on 17 January 2018. The introduction of legislation in relation to AHR and associated research is a priority for me.
In order to support the commencement of the legislation, officials in my Department will work during 2018 with the HSE to develop a model of care for infertility to ensure the provision of safe, effective and accessible services through the public health system as part of the full range of services available in obstetrics and gynaecology. As part of this work officials in my Department are developing policy options for a potential public funding model for AHR treatment.
As such no specific decision has been made at this time in relation the parameters of any potential public funding model, including what eligibility criteria may be included.
It should be noted that any funding model that may ultimately be introduced would need to operate within the broader regulatory framework set out in the AHR Bill and a model of care for infertility.
While IVF treatment is not currently provided by the Irish public health service, there is some support available in that patients who access IVF treatment privately may claim tax relief on the costs involved under the tax relief for medical expenses scheme. In addition, a defined list of fertility medicines needed for fertility treatment is covered under the High Tech Scheme administered by the HSE. Medicines covered by the High Tech Scheme must be prescribed by a consultant/specialist and approved by the HSE ‘High Tech Liaison Officers’. The cost of the medicines is then covered, as appropriate, under the Medical Card or Drugs Payment Scheme.
