Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 189: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if a person who holds a full medical card will have the nursing home costs covered for the first two weeks after surgery taking into account the person has VHI cover; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30283/06]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Section 53 of the Health Act, 1970, provides for charges to be made in respect of inpatient services generally. In regard to public long-stay care, Section 53 was amended by the Health (Amendment) Act, 2005 to provide for a charge where inpatient services have been provided for a period of not less than 30 days, or for periods aggregating not less than 30 days within the pervious 12 months. This was implemented by the Health (Charges for In-Patients Services) Regulations 2005 which provided for the levying of charges in respect of the maintenance of person in public long-stay care. Services are not, therefore, free in public units and, in respect of private nursing homes, the financial support given by the State to patients is at present governed by the Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990 and subsequent Regulations, which allow the State to pay a subvention towards the cost of private nursing home care. The Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2001 does not give statutory entitlement to free nursing home care in either public or private nursing homes. The Deputy may be aware that the placing of a person in a private nursing home is a private matter between the person or his or her representatives and the nursing home proprietor, as are the fees charged in these facilities.

With regard to a person having medical cover, VHI pays nursing home benefit where a VHI member is transferred to a convalescent home listed in its directory of convalescent homes, for up to fourteen days, if the Consultant decides for medical reasons, and their Medical Director agrees, that a person who is a member of VHI needs to stay in a convalescent home immediately after being in hospital for medically necessary treatment, which is eligible for VHI Healthcare benefit. The benefits payable in respect of convalescent claims depend on the plan held, typically between €45 and €70 per day. The nursing home cover provided by VHI is in accordance with the prescribed amount of cover insurers are obliged to provide under article 5 and Schedule A of the Minimum Benefit Regulations.