Written answers

Tuesday, 28 June 2005

Department of Health and Children

Nursing Home Charges

10:00 pm

Photo of Dan NevilleDan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 216: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her plans for refund of moneys under the national repayment scheme in relation to overcharging of residents at public nursing institutions. [22252/05]

Photo of Mary HarneyMary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Government has agreed the key elements of a scheme for the repayment of long-stay charges. All those who were illegally charged for publicly funded long-term residential care and are alive and the estates of all those who were charged and died in the six years prior to 9 December 2004 will have the charges repaid in full. The repayment will apply to all those who were charged including those in receipt of payments other than the non-contributory old age pension.

The scheme will not provide for repayments to the estates of those who died more than six years ago. The repayments will include both the actual charge paid and an amount to take account of inflation, using the CPI, since the time the person involved was charged. Legislation will be brought before the Oireachtas as soon as possible to provide a clear legal framework for the scheme.

The national helpline set up by the Health Service Executive to allow people to register if they believe they are due a repayment will continue to operate, but there is no need for anyone who has already registered using this facility to make contact with the HSE again to register for the scheme. Any person who considers that they or a family member may be eligible for repayment may register their interest in advance with the Health Service Executive, by writing to the National Refund Scheme, HSE Midland Area, Arden Road, Tullamore, County Offaly; or e-mail to refundscheme@mailq.hse.ie; or by calling the helpline 1800 777737 during office hours.

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