Vol. 536 No. 1
111 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Health and Children his concerns in relation to the number of children suffering from asthma; the number suffering from asthma admitted to hospitals in the Eastern Regional Health Authority area for each of the past five years; the plans he has for dealing with the demands of such patients in relation to medical cards, nebulisers and inhalers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13415/01]
As asthma is not a notifiable disease, there are no precise statistics available on the number of people with the condition. Information regarding the number of persons suffering from asthma who were admitted to hospitals in the Eastern Regional Health Authority area for each of the past five years is not routinely collected by my Department.
People 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. Eligibility for a medical card is solely a matter for the chief executive officer of the relevant health board to decide. In determining eligibility for a medical card, the chief executive officer has regard to the financial circumstances of the applicant. Income guidelines are used by health boards to assist in determining a person's eligibility. However, 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.
Non medical card holders can avail of the drug payment scheme, which was introduced on 1 July 1999 and replaced the drug cost subsidisation scheme – DCSS – and drug refund scheme – DRS. Under the drug payment scheme, no individual or family unit pays more than £42 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. 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 is in place for the general medical services and drug payment schemes to ensure equity in relation to the range of medicines paid for by the State under both schemes. This common list is subject to ongoing review and amendment on a monthly basis as new products become available, additions and deletions are notified on a monthly basis. A comprehensive range of medicinal products authorised and recommended in the treatment of asthma, including inhalers, are included on the list. Nebulisers are supplied to both general medical services and non GMS patients via arrangements made by health boards.
I am satisfied that adequate arrangements are in place to meet the needs of persons with asthma.
