Dinny McGinley
Ceist:214 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will consider making medical cards available to all cancer patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4759/01]
Written Answers. - Medical Cards.
Entitlement to health services in Ireland is primarily based on means. Under the Health Act, 1970, determination of eligibility for medical cards is the responsibility of the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board. Medical cards are issued to persons who, in the opinion of the chief executive officer, are unable to provide general practitioner, medical and surgical services for themselves and their dependants without undue hardship. Income guidelines have been drawn up by the chief executive officers to assist in the determination of a person's eligibility and these guidelines are revised annually in line with the consumer price index. However, the guidelines are not statutorily binding and even though a person's income exceeds the guidelines, a medical card may still be awarded if the chief executive officer considers that his or her medical needs would justify this. Medical cards may also be awarded to individual family members on this basis. It is open to all persons to apply to the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board for health services if they are unable to provide these services for themselves or their dependants without hardship.
The Deputy might also wish to note that under arrangements for public hospital services introduced in June 1991, on foot of the Health (Amendment) Act, 1991, everyone, regardless of income, is entitled to public hospital and public consultant services subject only to modest statutory charges.
In respect of drug costs the drug payment scheme was introduced on 1 July 1999 to streamline the drug refund scheme and the drug cost subsidisation scheme, which it replaced, merge the best elements of the schemes and significantly improve cash flow for families incurring ongoing expenditure on medicines. Under the drug payment scheme, no individual or family has to pay more than the first £42 of the cost of approved prescribed medicines. Once an individual or family has spent a total of £42 on approved prescribed medicines in a month, the cost of any further approved prescribed items that month is paid for by the State.
A person may also qualify for income tax relief in respect of certain unreimbursed medical expenses, including hospital expenses, prescribed medicines and general practitioner costs under a Revenue Commissioners scheme. In respect of cancer services specifically, considerable developments have taken place in the area of cancer services since the launch of the national cancer strategy in 1996 and the subsequent action plan for its implementation which was launched in 1997. To date £60 million has been invested under the strategy.