Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Maria Byrne for raising this very important issue. As the Senator said, I am well aware of the costs to many families, particularly families with children and young adults with disabilities. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris.

This Government is committed in A Programme for Partnership Government to reducing the costs of medicines for all our citizens. This has already been addressed through a range of measures, including significant price reductions and the greater use of reference pricing and generic substitution. The prescription charge for medical card holders was introduced in 2010. The purpose of the charge was to address rising costs in the medical card scheme. I do not need to remind Senators of the extraordinary financial pressures we faced at that particular time, including the need to control health costs.The current charge of €2.50 per item with a monthly cap of €25 per family applies to all medical card patients, unless they are exempted. Specific patient groups may be exempted, where not to charge that group is just and equitable, having regard to defined criteria. To date, there are exemptions for children in State care, methadone patients, asylum seekers in direct provision and refugees in emergency reception and accommodation centres.

With regard to varying the charge for specific groups, until this year the same charge applied to all non-exempted medical card patients. However, in March the Government reduced the charge for medical card holders aged 70 and over to €2 per item, with a monthly cap of €20 per card holder and dependants. Over 70s medical card holders use on average more than three and a half times more prescription items than other medical card holders. As their medical needs and their financial burden are greater than most medical card holders, directing the resources available in 2017 in this way is also just, equitable and in line with Government policy to reduce the cost of medicines to patients within, of course, the resources available.

Some 330,000 medical card holders, including many people with disabilities, benefit from this measure. A total of €10 million has been provided for this measure in 2017 and the full year cost is expected to be €12 million. The reduction in the charge for over 70s required primary legislation. Any variation in the charge for another group would also require legislation and would have to consider, among other things, the medical needs of and the financial burden on the specific group of people and the need to control health spending. In other words, the needs of any particular group with medical cards would have to be considered against those of other medical card holders, as well as overall health resources. This Government will continue to address its commitment to reduce the cost of medicines. As part of this commitment, the Minister will consider any future changes to the prescription charge in the context of the implementation of that commitment, the health and financial implications for any, for all or for particular patients and the best use of available health funding.