Results 5,221-5,240 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2013)

Alex White: It published a reasonably good strategy document and then washed its hands of it and handed over the matter to its erstwhile friends in the Progressive Democrats and allowed them to manage its health policy all the time until it suddenly woke up to it when it ended up in opposition and had to actually address some of these issues. We all know that when the Fianna Fáil-led Government...

Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2013)

Alex White: -----without any replacement of any kind of access to GP care without fees.

Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2013)

Alex White: We know the answer to that question and the Deputy knows it himself. It is no use for Deputy Kelleher and Deputy Dooley to seek to apply standards to this side of the House which they are not prepared to apply to their own side of the House.

Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2013)

Alex White: A sense of some proportion might help.

Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2013)

Alex White: Some 85%-----

Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2013)

Alex White: Deputy Mattie McGrath does not seem to understand the over-70s and I will come to him in a minute.

Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2013)

Alex White: Some 85% of all persons over 70 will retain full medical cards if this measure is passed by this House. Some 93% of all persons over 70 will have free access to their GP.

Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2013)

Alex White: No, it is without any condition. Some sense of proportion on this measure is called for. The 10% of people involved here, some 35,000 persons, who lose access to the full medical card, will have it replaced by a GP-visit card. I do not believe anybody on this side of the House or in this Chamber relishes making any adjustments to eligibility. I have made that clear as has the Minister...

Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2013)

Alex White: There is no point in coming into this House and telling us we should be consistent when, of course-----

Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2013)

Alex White: -----the circumstances the Government faces mean that regrettably we need to make some adjustments in eligibility.

Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2013)

Alex White: We have maintained cover for 93% of the over-70s. We have ensured, obviously, that people still have access to the drugs payment scheme.

Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2013)

Alex White: We have ensured that it is only the better off - I accept that is a relative phrase - persons over 70 will be affected by this. We have done it in the fairest possible way. That is what we have done in all the measures we have introduced in this House. Deputy Mattie McGrath seemed to make a joke that someone who was over 70 was invited to apply for the under-70 scheme.

Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2013)

Alex White: He should not try to mislead the House or to mislead his constituent or anybody else. A person over 70 is still free to apply in the normal scheme - the net scheme. There is no exclusion on a person over 70 from applying through the net approach that is available to persons there. He should not try to suggest that somebody who was over 70 was being told to apply for an under-70 scheme....

Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2013)

Alex White: The Deputy probably knows that but it was just part of his rhetoric. None of the changes we have sought to introduce is particularly relished on this side of the House. We have done it in the fairest possible way. We have done it in a way that minimises the impact on the most vulnerable in our society and in particular on older persons. For that reason the interventions of the Members...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (26 Nov 2013)

Alex White: Assessment for eligibility for an over -70s medical /GP visit card is based on gross income only. The general Medical Card/GP Visit scheme assesses medical card/GP visit card eligibility based on an applicant(s) net assessable household income less assessable outgoing expenses. The general scheme is not age dependant and is open to persons of all ages ordinarily resident in the state. The...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Drug Treatment Programmes Availability (26 Nov 2013)

Alex White: The HSE provides opioid substitution (mainly methadone) in a number of treatment settings to meet the needs of individual drug users. These settings include: - primary care through GPs and community pharmacies; - treatment centres where opioid substitution treatment is dispensed on site; and - residential rehabilitation facilities.  Currently there are two Level II Community...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Centres Provision (26 Nov 2013)

Alex White: The Health Service Executive (HSE) is working with the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) to progress Primary Care Centre Public Private Partnership. The NDFA as a centre of expertise will be responsible for the delivery of the Primary Care PPP programme on behalf of the HSE, including the management of the procurement phase and the provision of financial advice including a Value for...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Prices (26 Nov 2013)

Alex White: The prices of drugs vary between countries for a number of reasons, including different prices set by manufacturers, different wholesale and pharmacy mark-ups, different dispensing fees and different rates of VAT. The State has introduced a series of reforms in recent years to reduce pharmaceutical prices and expenditure. These have resulted in reductions in the price of thousands of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Orthodontic Services Waiting Lists (26 Nov 2013)

Alex White: The HSE provides orthodontic treatment to those who have been assessed and referred for treatment before their 16th birthday. Orthodontic referrals are generally received via the Public Dental Service school screening programme. At the time of assessment those with urgent clinical need are prioritised. It should be noted that the nature of orthodontic care means that immediate treatment is...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Data (26 Nov 2013)

Alex White: The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. However, I have asked the Health Service Executive to supply this information to me and I will forward it to the Deputy as soon as possible.