Written Answers Nos. 175-185
175. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health if the ambulance service is currently using the Eircode system when responding to call-outs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43246/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
176. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will review an application for a medical card previously refused to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43254/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
177. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will receive orthodontic treatment; why this person has been waiting so long; if this is considered an urgent case; if the distress caused to the person because of the delay will be considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43257/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
178. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when orthodontic treatment will commence for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43288/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
179. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health why a person who has a long-term illness book is liable to pay an accident and emergency charge if this is the only avenue through which the person can access appropriate after care, due to the consultant being off for the weekend or unavailable [43290/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra180. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health a list of the statutory exemptions available from hospital accident and emergency charges for children with cerebral palsy or with other long-term illness book qualifying conditions, and the locations of hospitals which facilitate same in the south-east region. [43291/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 179 and 180 together.
Patients who have received hospital services and who require follow-on care in a hospital setting are provided with a scheduled appointment prior to their discharge from hospital. A patient requiring unscheduled services outside of hours may access those services through a hospital emergency department. It is a statutory provision that a charge applies where out patient services are provided, under the Health (Out-Patient Charges) Regulations 2013, Statutory Instrument 45/2013. The regulations set a charge of €100 for the out-patient services. The charge shall be payable by each person who avails of the services concerned, but the charge shall only be made in respect of the first occasion the service is provided in relation to each episode of care. The out-patient charge will not apply should the visit result in the patient being admitted to the hospital as an in-patient.
Subsection 3(3) of S.I. No. 45/2013 lists exemptions from the charge for out-patient services provided. Subsection 3(3)(d) provides that the charge shall not be payable by "a child, referred to in section 56(3) of the Act, in respect of diseases and disabilities of a permanent or long term nature prescribed by the Minister with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform". On the basis of the exemption in section 3(3)(d), the €100 charge does not apply where out-patient services are made available in respect of a prescribed disease or disability to a person of less than 16 years of age.
The conditions prescribed for the purposes of subsection 56(3) are set out in the Health Services (Amendment) Regulations 1987, Statutory Instrument 114/1987, as follows: "mental handicap, mental illness, phenylketonuria, cystic fibrosis, spina bifida, hydrocephalus, haemophilia and cerebral palsy."
181. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the amount paid to medical doctors under the medical card scheme and the general medical services scheme by the Health Service Executive in 2014 and 2013; the names of all recipients; the amounts paid to each individual or company in each year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43292/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the General Medical Services (GMS) contract, GPs are reimbursed by the HSE's Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) for a range of services they provide to medical card and GP visit card holders. The current fee and allowance rates are set out in S.I. 277/2013 - Health Professionals (Reduction of Payments to General Practitioners) Regulations 2013, which are available on-line at: http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2013/en/si/0277.html
The PCRS publishes an annual statistical analysis of payments to health professionals who hold contracts for service with the HSE. The most recent report published is in respect of 2013 and is available on-line at: http://www.hse.ie/eng/staff/PCRS/PCRS_Publications/PCRS_Statistical_Analyis_of_Claims_and_Payments_2013.pdf
This shows payments to GPs under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme amounting to nearly €451 million in 2013. The PCRS's 2014 report has not yet been published.
As the other information requested by the Deputy is not readily available to my Department, the Deputy's question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
182. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will resume the provision of respite care to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43293/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the questions to be referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
183. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if a confidential recipient has been specifically instructed to examine ongoing issues of inadequate and unreliable home care provision for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43296/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
184. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the Health Service Exectives's position regarding the use of ArtAssist (details supplied); if the equipment is available for free in some counties and charged for in others; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43300/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the administration of the primary care schemes, therefore the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to you.
If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
185. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the status of an application for a home care package by a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43302/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
