Results 2,861-2,880 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Other Questions: Medical Card Eligibility (14 May 2014)

Alex White: We will come to the practice. Neither has there been a change in the rules of awarding medical cards on discretionary grounds. The medical card scheme continues to operate such that those who suffer undue financial hardship, as assessed according to the published HSE guidelines, in the arranging of general practitioner services are awarded a medical card. While the number of medical cards...

Other Questions: Medical Card Eligibility (14 May 2014)

Alex White: Deputy Kelleher alleges there has been a change in policy, then he agrees that there is no change in policy and then he says he is unsure whether there has been a change in policy.

Other Questions: Medical Card Eligibility (14 May 2014)

Alex White: There has been no change in the policy. It has been made clear that there has been no change in the policy. What has happened is that we have had a standardisation of the application of the procedures and the guidelines and the HSE has, in fact, published these. I believe that is a good thing and I invite Deputy Kelleher to agree with me that this is a good thing in order that we can...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Medical Card Reviews (14 May 2014)

Alex White: Nobody on this side of the House has ever refused to recognise there is an issue in regard to discretionary medical card provision. As I indicated in my reply, we accept that some people have been found to be ineligible following a review of the medical card granted to them under the discretionary process. We are not denying there is an issue, but we have sought to show that the extent of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Medical Card Reviews (14 May 2014)

Alex White: I am sure the Deputy does not intend it, but the figures he has given are inaccurate. Of the 77,925 or so people who were in possession of a discretionary medical card in March 2011, one third still have a medical card on a discretionary basis and approximately one half still have a medical card but not through the discretionary route. This is what Deputies opposite continue to ignore -...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Medical Card Reviews (14 May 2014)

Alex White: The Deputy is misrepresenting them.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Medical Card Reviews (14 May 2014)

Alex White: While there has been a reduction in the number of discretionary medical cards, I wish to assure the Deputy that there is no policy to reduce the number of medical cards issued where discretion is involved in the assessment process. The fact is that many people who used to hold discretionary cards have been granted medical cards on income grounds because they now fall within the means...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Administration (14 May 2014)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11, 15 and 43 together. The HSE National Service Plan for 2014 projects that there will be 1,875,707 medical cards for 2014. This projection is based on the HSE’s analysis of recent trends and the impact of budgetary decisions. The medical card scheme is a demand led scheme. Persons who currently do not hold a medical card could become eligible due...

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services (14 May 2014)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 19, 20, 50 and 191 together. As I have previously stated in this House, the Government is committed to introducing a universal GP service without fees, on a phased basis, within its term of office. The Government's vision for primary care is the development of a single-tier system where access is based on medical need and not on ability to pay. As...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Administration (14 May 2014)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 and 30 together. Under the Health Act, 1970, eligibility for a medical card is based on whether a person is unable, without undue hardship, to arrange GP services for themselves and their family, having regard to their overall financial situation and reasonable expenditure. Under the legislation, having a particular illness or disability, in itself, does...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Administration (14 May 2014)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 27, 32 and 36 together. Following Budget 2013 decisions, changes to the gross income thresholds for over 70’s medical cards were effective from April 2013. The changes also provided for those over 70's medical card holders, whose income fell between the revised income limits and the preceding income limits, to receive a GP visit card instead of a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Data (14 May 2014)

Alex White: As of 1 April 2014, 87,826 persons in County Donegal held medical card eligibility. Of that figure, 1,831 medical cards were granted involving discretion, where medical or social circumstances indicated financial hardship in arranging GP services. At 1 April 2013, 90,812 persons held medical card eligibility and, of this figure, 1,872 were granted involving discretion. Eligibility for a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Administration (14 May 2014)

Alex White: While the number of medical cards issued where discretion was involved has fallen in recent years this is not as a result of a change in policy or a deliberate targeting of discretionary cards. Rather, it is attributable, in the main, to the fact that many people, who previously were marginally over the qualifying means thresholds, have subsequently been granted medical cards because they...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Services Provision (14 May 2014)

Alex White: The HSE is responsible for the administration of the primary care schemes, therefore, I have referred this matter to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (14 May 2014)

Alex White: Medical cards are provided to persons who are in the opinion of the HSE unable without undue hardship to arrange GP services for themselves and their dependants. Under the legislation, assessment for a medical card is determined primarily by reference to the means, including the income and reasonable expenditure, of the applicant and his or her partner and dependants. Determination of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Drug Treatment Programmes Policy (14 May 2014)

Alex White: I assume that the Deputy is referring to the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016 Annual Progress Report for 2013, which was published on the Department of Health website on 26 March 2014. Solid progress is being made across the 63 Actions of the Strategy, which are based around the five pillars of supply reduction, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research and a number of actions are...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Applications (14 May 2014)

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 Administration (14 May 2014)

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 Eligibility (14 May 2014)

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 Delays (14 May 2014)

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...