Results 4,061-4,080 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The 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...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Numbers (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The HSE Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) is not configured to provide the figures as requested by the Deputy. General Practitioners participating in the GMS Scheme are paid a monthly capitation fee per patient regardless of the number of times the patient attends the GP. Consequently, information on the frequency of attendance to a GP of eligible persons is not captured....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Strategy (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: No date has been set, nor was a commitment given to set a date, for the provision of a general practitioner scheme for children with special needs. However, the Government is committed to introducing, on a phased basis, a universal GP service without fees within its first term of office, as set out in the Programme for Government and the Future Health strategy framework. This policy...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The income guidelines for Medical Cards were last increased in 2005 in line with increases in Social Welfare payments. The current income guidelines for applicants aged between 66 and 70 are set out in the following table as requested by the Deputy. - Medical Card Net Weekly Rate GP Visit Card Net Weekly Rate Single Person Living Alone €201.50 €302.00 Single Person Living...

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Medical Services Scheme Administration (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: There is a range of stoma requirements on the List of Reimbursable Items under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme. Furthermore, where a product that is not on the List of Reimbursable Items is required, an application can be made by a GMS eligible person for the product to be made available through discretionary hardship arrangements. It is intended that the HSE's review (on a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Provision (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The National Clinical Programme for Asthma, which commenced in 2011, is one of a number of chronic disease programmes established in the HSE's Clinical Care Directorate aimed at bringing a systematic approach to changes in how services for patients are delivered. The HSE's 2013 National Service Plan is a high level document which is underpinned by a detailed operational plan and four...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Orthodontic Services Provision (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The HSE provides orthodontic treatment to patients based on their level of clinical need. An individual's access to orthodontic treatment is determined against a set of clinical guidelines and priority is given to patients with greatest needs. The HSE has been asked to examine the specific query raised by the Deputy and to reply to him as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Facilities (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Drug Rehabilitation Clinics (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: Fifty two clinics within the four Dublin Local Authority areas provide opioid substitution services. Six of these are based in Dublin city centre, with only one, City Clinic Amien Street, based in the north inner city area. The six city centre clinics cater for 1,365 people, which represents a third of the overall Dublin figure. City Clinic currently has 299 clients, of whom 242 live in the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Applications (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The 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...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Application Numbers (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The information sought by the Deputy is outlined below. The medical card service is demand led and the number of cards at any given time reflects those persons who have met the eligibility criteria governing the scheme. Date National Population Number of Medical Cards Medical Cards as % of National Population Medical Cards Numbers - % increase year over year End 2008 4,422,100 1,352,120...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Prices (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The cost to the HSE of drugs and medicines supplied under the GMS, Drug Payment and Long Term Illness schemes between 2008 and 2012 are set out below: 2012 €1.53 billion 2011 €1.46 billion 2010 €1.53 billion 2009 €1.65 billion 2008 €1.59 billion The figures above include dispensing fees and mark-ups paid to pharmacists. In recent years, a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Centres Provision (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Reviews (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The 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...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: Part 2 of the Bill provides for four amendments to the nursing home support scheme. In brief, these relate to outsourcing the HSE's functions under the scheme, abolishing the requirement to backdate State support to the commencement of the scheme for those who were in nursing home care prior to the scheme commencing, and increasing the asset contribution under the scheme from 5% to 7.5%, as...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: Senator Ó Clochartaigh suggests this presages a privatised model. It is very important to have some sense of proportion when we debate these issues. It is not a question of introducing a privatised model. I do not accept that is the implication of what is being done. It is an enabling provision to allow the HSE, in circumstances which might arise in the future, to enter into an...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The existing nursing home support scheme provides that a person who was in nursing home care when the scheme commenced in 2009 shall have his or her State support backdated to 27 October 2009. This provision was originally inserted in anticipation of a large volume of applications in the initial months of the scheme. It ensured that if any backlogs occurred at that time, applicants would...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The Senator is a distinguished lawyer and I am sure he was well able to give the best advice to his then client.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: One of the things we cannot do from our position in these Houses is provide legal advice. However, I am of the view that the point the Senator raises is covered by the section. In that context and for the purposes of the scheme, a specified person - as defined in the existing legislation - is able to act on behalf of another individual. The scenario to which the Senator refers is,...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The asset contribution is to be increased from 5% to 7.5% for new entrants to the scheme following the enactment of the Bill. Anyone who is already in receipt of financial support under the scheme will not be affected. The asset contribution will be capped at 22.5% - or three years in total - in the case of the principal private residence. In the case of a couple, the cap on that...