Written answers
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
Department of Health and Children
Medical Aids and Appliances
8:00 pm
Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 327: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on providing prosthetic limbs free of charge to amputees who face bills of thousands of euro whenever their limb needs to be replaced; if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties for amputees to qualify for a medical card if they are above the income guidelines despite having lost a limb; if she will engage with the Health Service Executive to address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3660/10]
John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The position remains as outlined in my reply to Question No. 63 of 19th February 2009, namely that when a patient has a limb amputated, the acute hospital is responsible for providing the first prosthesis. Amputees who possess a Medical Card or a Long-Term Illness Card will receive, once sanctioned, new prostheses and repairs to prostheses. Others are liable to meet the costs directly. They have a number of options: (a) they can claim from their private health insurers; (b) they can meet the costs themselves and submit a claim for tax relief to the Revenue Commissioners via the Form Med 1 and (c) they can apply for a Medical Card and request that their special circumstances be considered, especially on the grounds of "undue financial hardship" on the individual or their family.
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