Vol. 507 No. 2
170 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the large medical expenses experienced by the families of those who suffer from asthma; the proposals, if any, he has to alleviate expenses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16746/99]
Persons who are unable, without undue hardship, to arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants may be entitled to a medical card. In determining eligibility, the local health board will have regard to the financial circumstances and medical needs of the applicant. In this regard, income guidelines are used by health boards to assist in determining a person's eligibility. These guidelines are not statutorily binding and even though a person's income exceeds the guidelines, the person may still be awarded a medical card if the chief executive officer considers that the person's medical needs or other circumstances would justify this. Medical cards may also be issued to individual family members on this basis. Eligibility for a medical card is solely a matter for the chief executive officer of the relevant health board to decide.
171 Mr. Dennehy asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will permit treatment for sufferers of moebius syndrome, a rare disease affecting the nervous system, to be covered by the terms of the general medical scheme. [16747/99]
Persons who are unable, without undue hardship, to arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants may be entitled to a medical card. In determining eligibility for medical cards, health boards have regard to the financial circumstances and medical needs of the applicant. Income guidelines are used by health boards to assist in determining a person's eligibility. These guidelines are not statutorily binding and even though a person's income exceeds the guidelines, the person may still be awarded a medical card if the chief executive officer considers that the person's medical needs or other circumstances would justify this. Medical cards may also be issued to individual family members on this basis. Eligibility for a medical card is solely a matter for the chief executive officer of the relevant health board to decide.
In view of this special provision, I do not think that it is justifiable to extend an automatic entitlement to a medical card to any specific group without any reference to their means, particularly in view of the very many areas of pressing need in the health services and the limited resources available to meet them. I am satisfied that appropriate and comprehensive support is being provided by the State, through other schemes, to those with ongoing medical expenses who do not have medical cards.
For example, persons suffering from an ongoing condition can avail of the drug cost subsidisation scheme which caters for people who are certified as having a medical condition with a regular and ongoing requirement for prescribed drugs and medicines. Persons who qualify for inclusion in this scheme do not have to pay more than £32 in any month on prescribed medication. Under the drug refund scheme, families and individuals pay the full cost of their prescription medicines and may, at the end of the quarter, claim reimbursement from their health board for expenditure over £90 in that calendar quarter.
