asked the Minister for Health if, in view of the hardship at present being caused to many low income families, he will reduce the amount which must be spent before qualifying for a refund under the scheme of assistance towards the cost of prescribed medicines.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Prescribed Medicines Refund.
6.
The cost of drugs refund scheme provides that all expenditure, in excess of £28, on drugs prescribed for use in a calendar month is refunded by health boards.
I am satisfied that an unrecouped expenditure of £7 per week for drugs does not generally constitute hardship for persons whose income is such that, despite their medical expenses, they do not qualify for a medical card. I am also aware that health boards give very sympathetic consideration to all applications for a medical card in cases where any hardship may be experienced due, perhaps, to a particularly high and persistent level of expenditure on doctors' fees and on prescribed drugs. I would suggest that any person who is experiencing difficulty in this regard, despite the availability of the cost of drugs refund scheme, should apply to their health board for a medical card.
Will the Minister try to ensure that delays in repayments are speeded up? There is much disquiet about delays of two or three months and this is causing hardship.
I agree. The number of claims generally has declined and it should be possible to have a more effective system of administration in operation. On average, it takes three or four weeks to pay claims but in some cases the delay is much longer. I will bring that point to the notice of the health boards.
Is the Minister aware that a new practice has developed in the Eastern Health Board of not refunding money on prescriptions which have been issued close to the end of the calendar month? This is an additional cause of hardship to some families who may have excessively high expenditure in one month?
That decision relates more to the Eastern Health Board where there was a tendency on the part of claimants to cluster claims so as to exceed the £28 by a substantial amount. I cannot direct the health board on that aspect of the administration of their scheme. The number of claims has fallen, and I am prepared to examine any individual complaints and contact the health board on those issues but I cannot direct them.