Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 124: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if and when she will include Crohn's disease in the list of illnesses covered under the long term illness scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5851/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Under the 1970 Health Act, the Health Service Executive may arrange for the supply, without charge, of drugs, medicines and medical and surgical appliances to people with a specified condition, for the treatment of that condition through the long term illness scheme, LTI. The conditions are: mental handicap, mental illness, for people under 16 only, phenylketonuria, cystic fibrosis, spina bifida, hydrocephalus, diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus, haemophilia, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophies, parkinsonism, conditions arising from thalidomide and acute leukaemia. Parkinsonism, acute leukaemia, muscular dystrophies and multiple sclerosis were added to the scheme in 1975. The LTI does not cover GP fees or hospital co-payments.

Prior to 1971, there was inadequate provision for assistance to people with large ongoing medical expenses. The purpose of the LTI scheme was to protect patients with a specified condition from excessive drug costs, by providing free drugs and medicines to treat that condition only. Following the establishment of the GMS scheme in 1971, to provide free treatment for those who cannot, without undue hardship, arrange to provide it for themselves and their dependants, various co-payment schemes have been introduced to provide assistance towards the cost of approved drugs and medicines for non-medical card holders with significant ongoing medical expenses, without restriction to the treatment of a particular condition. Since 1999, non-medical card holders and people with conditions not covered under the LTI have been able to use the drugs payment scheme, DPS. Under this scheme, no individual or family unit pays more than €85 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines.

In light of the protection from excessive drug costs provided by the GMS and DPS schemes, there are no plans to amend the list of eligible conditions under the LTI.