David Cullinane
Question:386. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of reducing the drug payment scheme threshold to €5, €10, €15, €20, €40, €60 and €80, in tabular form. [30396/24]
View answerDáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 July 2024
386. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of reducing the drug payment scheme threshold to €5, €10, €15, €20, €40, €60 and €80, in tabular form. [30396/24]
View answerThe Drug Payment Scheme (DPS) provides for the refund of the amount by which expenditure on approved prescribed medicines or medical and surgical appliances exceeds a named threshold in any calendar month. The DPS is not means tested and is available to anyone ordinarily resident in Ireland.
The DPS threshold was reduced twice in 2022:
• From €114 to €100 per month on 1 January 2022.
• From €100 to €80 per month on 1 March 2022.
Therefore, currently, under the DPS, no individual or family pays more than €80 a month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines.
The cost of reducing the DPS is estimated as follows:
Threshold |
Cost |
€60 |
€41.2m |
€40 |
€95.1m |
€20 |
€161.6m |
€15 |
€180.3m |
€10 |
€199.7m |
€5 |
€219.9m |
These costings do not take account of changes in demographics, eligibility (e.g., changes in the number of medical card holders), or claimant behaviour arising from the DPS reduction.