I propose to take Questions Nos. 195 and 244 together.
The Programme for Government ‘Our Shared Future’ contains a commitment to extend discretionary medical cards to those with a terminal illness. The recent Report of the Clinical Advisory Group, which was re-established by the HSE to carry out a review of eligibility for medical cards in cases of terminal illness, recommended inter alia, that legislative change would be necessary to underpin an extension to the current prognosis timeframe required for 'End of Life' medical cards. My Department is therefore currently undertaking an examination of potential options for a legislative framework.
However, pending the development of legislative options, I am pleased to confirm that the Government recently agreed to introduce an administrative arrangement for up to 12 months on an interim basis, that will enable persons who have been certified by their treating Consultant as having a prognosis of 24 months or less, to be awarded a medical card. These applications will not require a means assessment nor will they be reassessed. My Department has been actively engaging with the HSE's National Medical Card Unit to ensure all necessary processes and communications to operationalise the scheme are in place very shortly.
In relation to the current processing times of applications, it should be noted that the HSE has a system in place for the efficient provision of medical cards in response to emergency situations i.e. in circumstances where persons are in need of urgent ongoing medical care and also for persons receiving end of life treatment – that is when patients’ unfortunately have a prognosis of less than 12 months. In these cases, a medical card is issued within 24 hours of receipt of the required patient details and completed medical report by a healthcare professional.