Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 November 2023
1331. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will expand access to the chronic disease management programme to all adults aged 18 years or over, with or without a GP visit card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48595/23]
View answer1356. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health if equality of care can be offered to COPD sufferers without a medical card in order that they can access services (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48784/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1331 and 1356 together.
Under the provisions of the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for health services in Ireland is based primarily on residency and means. The Act provides that persons who are unable, without undue hardship, to arrange GP services for themselves and their family can qualify for a medical card or GP visit card. Certain groups, including all those under 8 years of age and those over 70 years of age, are automatically entitled to a GP visit card.
Under the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. The General Practitioner (GP) Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Programme commenced in 2020 and has been rolled out on a phased basis to adult GMS (Medical Card and GP Visit Card) patients over a 4-year period. The specified chronic conditions included in the Programme are Type 2 Diabetes; Asthma; Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Cardiovascular Disease (including Heart Failure, Ischaemic Heart Disease, Cerebrovascular Disease (Stroke/Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA), Atrial Fibrillation).
The CDM programme is an entirely new healthcare service in Ireland that has brought the care for chronic disease further into the community and it aims to reduce hospital attendance by patients with one or more of these specified conditions.
People who do not hold a medical card or a GP visit card access their GP service on a private basis. As such, clinical care decisions and the fees charged for services to private patients are a matter of private contract between the patient and their GP.
