Dáil debates
Wednesday, 20 March 2013
Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions
Medical Card Review
3:05 pm
Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source
To ask the Minister for Health the reason many elderly persons have had their medical cards cancelled by the primary care reimbursement scheme without any notice; the steps being taken to ensure that the system prevents this happening again avoiding undue distress and cost on elderly patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14090/13]
Vincent Hoey
Posted on 9 Oct 2013 11:46 pm (Report this comment)
My medical card, due to last until 2016, was subjected to a random review which coincided with me having a stroke. We found that our card was withdrawen when our chemist told my wife that we would have to pay for emergency medicines. We received a letter dated for the following day following the day we had to pay for prescribed medicines saying that our cards had been replaced by Doctor Visit Cards, the provision for the continuance of cards until after the completion of an appeal was ignored and needless to say was not brought to our attention (thank heavens for my continued recovery and the web). The HSE has failed to respond to repeated registered letters from me seeking detailed data on the basis for the abrupt cancelling of our cards including a copy of our file (a statutory right)so that we might make an informed appeal. Consequently my appeal is not as well stated as I would desire. My reference number is 3424717.