Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 April 2018
644. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if patients who spend the entirety of their stay at a hospital on a trolley are subject to the €80 levy; the revenue that was raised from this levy in 2017; if the data is not available, the reason for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14962/18]
View answerThe current statutory charge for attending an Emergency Department is €100 which applies to out-patient services provided at any of the following locations: an emergency department, a casualty department, a minor injury unit or any other facility providing a similar service. There are a number of exemptions to this charge, including where a person is a medical card holder, where a person attends his or her GP and is referred to the emergency department, where attendance results in admission as an in-patient or where services are made available in respect of a prescribed disease or disability to children under 16 years of age.
Where a person is admitted to a public hospital for an in-patient service, including that provided on a day case basis, the €80 statutory public in-patient daily charge (up to a maximum of €800 in a 12 month period) will be applied from the date of admission, subject to a number of exemptions, including where a person is a Medical Card holder.
The HSE has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
