Vol. 524 No. 4
105 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has any plans to expand the drugs refund scheme by including drugs that were recently excluded and by expanding the scheme to cover new drugs; and his further plans to reduce the cost of the scheme. [22762/00]
The drug refund and drug cost subsidisation schemes were merged into the drugs payment scheme with a threshold of £42 per month per individual or family unit on 1 July 1999. The primary aim of the scheme is to bring about important improvements over the previous schemes and the scheme is designed to be more streamlined, user friendly and to significantly improve the cash flow situation for families and individuals incurring ongoing expenditure on medicines.
A common list of reimbursable items was introduced for the general medical services scheme and the drug payment scheme to ensure equity in relation to the products reimbursed by the State under both schemes. Prior to the introduction of the common list, medicines which were not available to medical card holders under the general medical services scheme (generally over the counter products such as cough bottles, vitamins, shampoos etc.) were reimbursable under the drugs cost subsidisation and drugs refund schemes. I am satisfied that the common list provides a comprehensive range of the most modern therapies. My Department is currently reviewing the list with a view to making some additional products available. The list is subject to ongoing review and amendment as new products become available and is updated on a monthly basis. I have no plans at present to reduce the £42 threshold for the scheme.
