Results 3,141-3,160 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Centres Provision (10 Apr 2014)

Alex White: Delivery of healthcare facilities is a service matter. Therefore your question has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Prescription Charges (10 Apr 2014)

Alex White: As announced in Budget 2014, it has become necessary to increase the prescription charge due to the very difficult and challenging economic environment which requires the Government to achieve additional savings in health expenditure with €619 million of savings targeted in 2014. The increase in prescription charges will account for €43 million of this target. The Government is...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Services Provision (10 Apr 2014)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 184 and 192 to 194, inclusive, together. The issuing of home ventilation whether invasive or non-invasive cannot be considered in isolation and whether the patient has access to such treatment is not purely a financial consideration. A proper discharge care plan which is discussed between the hospital consultant team and primary care needs to be agreed and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Long-Term Illness Scheme Coverage (10 Apr 2014)

Alex White: There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the Long-Term Illness scheme. Under the Drug Payment Scheme, no individual or family pays more than €144 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The scheme significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals incurring ongoing expenditure on medicines. In addition, people who...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Drugs Task Forces (10 Apr 2014)

Alex White: Tallaght Local Drugs Task Force receives annual funding from the Drugs Initiative of my Department to allocate to community based drugs initiatives. The Task Force, like other bodies that receive public funding, has seen a reduction in the funding available to allocate in recent years. In determining allocations, Drugs Task Forces are expected to take account of the financial...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Applications (10 Apr 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: Water Fluoridation (10 Apr 2014)

Alex White: The Department of Health keeps the policy of water fluoridation under constant review. As part of this ongoing work, a review of evidence on the impact of water fluoridation at its current level on the health of the population and on the environment is being conducted by the Health Research Board (HRB) on behalf of the Department. This will be peer-reviewed as part of the HRB process and my...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (10 Apr 2014)

Alex White: Under the provisions of the Health Acts, medical cards are provided to persons who are, in the opinion of the Health Service Executive, unable without undue hardship to arrange GP services for themselves and their dependants. Under the legislation, there is no entitlement to a medical card based on having a particular disease or illness (nor has there been previously). The HSE is obliged to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Expenditure (10 Apr 2014)

Alex White: The cost to the HSE of drugs and medicines supplied under the GMS, Drug Payment and Long Term Illness schemes between 2011 and 2013 and the projected cost for 2014 are set out as follows: 2014 € 1.56 billion (projected) 2013 € 1.61 billion 2012 €1.55 billion 2011 €1.46 billion

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Expenditure (10 Apr 2014)

Alex White: There has been ongoing engagement with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) and the Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers in Ireland (APMI), the representative bodies for the proprietary and generic manufacturers respectively, in recent years which have achieved significant reductions in the prices paid for medicinal products by the State. Agreements concluded with...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Aids and Appliances Provision (10 Apr 2014)

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

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (10 Apr 2014)

Alex White: In the case of the special assessment process for persons aged 70 years and over, savings or investment amounts up to €36,000 for a single person and €72,000 for couples are disregarded for assessment purposes. For savings or investments amounts over these limits, a notional rate of interest will be applied to determine the amount to be taken into account as income for...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Orthodontic Services Provision (10 Apr 2014)

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: Community Care Provision (10 Apr 2014)

Alex White: The development of primary care is central to the Government's objective to deliver a high quality, integrated and cost effective health care system. As with all capital projects the primary care infrastructure programme including this location must be considered within the overall capital envelope available to the health service. There will always be more projects than can be funded by...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Applications (10 Apr 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...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Medical Card Eligibility (9 Apr 2014)

Alex White: I understand the point the Deputy is making. Deposit interest retention tax or DIRT applies right across the board and not just to the individuals affected in this instance. However, I will certainly take into account the Senator's observations. If he wishes to write to me separately, I will ensure that he receives a response. I will certainly communicate his views through the system.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Medical Card Eligibility (9 Apr 2014)

Alex White: I thank Senator Michael D'Arcy for raising this issue. For the record, we are agreed that the text of this Adjournment debate matter should read "notional" rate as opposed to "nominal" rate. As the Senator will be aware, medical cards are provided to persons who, under the provisions of the Health Act 1970, as amended, are in the opinion of the Health Service Executive unable without undue...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Charges (9 Apr 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 Applications (9 Apr 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 Applications (9 Apr 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...