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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 3 Nov 1992

Vol. 424 No. 8

Written Answers. - Long-term Illnesses.

Michael Joe Cosgrave

Ceist:

184 Mr. Cosgrave asked the Minister for Health if he will place rheumatoid-arthritis on the list of long term illnesses for medical card entitlement in view of the financial hardship this complaint places on persons suffering with this disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The long term illness scheme covers fifteen specified illnesses. There are no plans at present to extend the scheme to include any further conditions. Rheumatoid-arthritis is not one of those illnesses covered by the scheme.

The long term illness scheme, however, is only one of a number of schemes in operation which provide assistance towards the cost of prescribed drugs and medicines for persons with ongoing medical conditions.

No long term illness grants automatic entitlement to a medical card. However, persons with long term chronic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, who in the opinion of the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board are unable to meet their medical expenses without undue hardship, may be granted a medical card which will entitle them to the supply of all drugs and medicines without charge.

Any other person with an ongoing medical condition, which imposes a requirement for continuous medication, can benefit under the terms of the drug cost subsidisation scheme. This scheme limits the actual expenditure of authorised beneficiaries, on prescribed medicines, to £32 per month. This scheme is being availed of by over 20,000 persons and the take-up in the scheme emphasises the benefits of the scheme for persons with a long term drug requirement.

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