Written Answers. - Health Board Charges.
David Stanton
Ceist:
701
Mr. Stanton
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the mechanism used by the various health board when levying maintenance charges on patients on the various community hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[2860/02]
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. Other than for persons aged 70 years and over who are automatically entitled to a medical card, 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.
Persons in category 1 are medical card holders and they are entitled to a full range of services, including general practitioner services, prescribed drugs and medicines, all in-patient public hospital services in public wards, including consultants services, all out-patient public hospital services, including consultants services, dental, ophthalmic and aural services and appliances, and a maternity and infant care service.
Persons in category 2, non-medical card holders, are entitled to all in-patient public hospital services in public wards, including consultants services, and out-patient public hospital services, including consultants services subject to some modest charges. The public hospital statutory in-patient charge in respect of each day during which a person is maintained is 33. The maximum payment in any 12 consecutive months is 330. Attendance at accident and emergency departments is subject to a charge of 31.70 where the patient does not have a referral note from his/her doctor. This charge applies only to the first visit in any episode of care.
Charges can also be made under two sets of regulations in respect of long-stay or extended care. They can be made under the Institutional Assistance Regulations, 1965, and charges may also be made under the Health (Charges for In-Patient Services) Regulations, 1976, as amended by the Health (Charges for In-Patient Services) (Amendment) Regulations, 1987.
In deciding the amount to be contributed, health boards have regard to the person's individual circumstances. Allowance is made for any financial commitments the person may have and a reasonable amount is left to meet the person's personal needs. Charges may be waived if, in the opinion of the chief executive officer of the relevant health board, payment would cause undue hardship. Maintenance charges may also be applied for private and semi-private accommodation in public hospitals. These charges are as follows:
Revised charges per day from 1 January 2002:
|
Hospital Category
|
PrivateAccommodation
|
Semi-PrivateAccommodation
|
Day-care
|
|
|
|
|
|
Health board regional hospitals voluntary and joint board teaching hospitals
|
274.52
|
214.65
|
197.12
|
|
Health board county hospitals voluntary non-teaching hospitals
|
227.79
|
183.99
|
163.54
|
|
Health board district hospitals
|
141.63
|
121.20
|
105.13
|
Note: These charges are additional to the public hospital statutory in-patient charge.
