Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 256: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will establish an all-party Oireachtas committee to review the background to the decision to centralise medical card applications and renewals; the connection of centralisation to the 2009 budget decision to means test all persons applying for a medical card aged 70 years and over, which is now enshrined in the Health Act 2008; the preparations undertaken and considerations given to the initiative prior to the announcement to centralise on 24 December 2008; the effects of centralisation on a vulnerable group; the number of cases processed to date in 2010 by the primary care reimbursement service; the number of cases waiting to be processed by the PCRS; the average period to process each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3049/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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Following the change in medical card eligibility for persons aged 70 and over in the Health Act 2008, the Health Service Executive (HSE) through its Service Plan for 2009, advised the Department of plans to introduce a centralised national processing centre for medical cards and community drugs schemes as part of the Executive's Value For Money Programme.

The HSE has indicated that its decision to centralise the processing of all medical card and GP visit card applications and renewals to the Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) in Dublin was in the context of the Executive's requirements to make efficiencies in business practices that could realise savings in a very challenging economic environment and provide a modern service to the public within sustainable levels of expenditure.

I fully support the HSE's decision to centralise the processing of all medical card and GP visit card applications and renewals at the PCRS as the Executive has advised that when fully implemented, the initiative will ensure:

Improved turnaround times for processing of applications: under the new arrangements the HSE will be aiming for a turnaround time of 15 working days or less, with provision for emergency applications to be dealt with immediately;

Consistent and equitable application of eligibility and service provision;

Clearer governance and accountability, as well as improved management information; and

A reduction in the overall number of staff required to process medical/GP visit card applications, thus freeing up staff for other service needs.

The centralising process is facilitating a number of enhancements to the level of customer service associated with these applications. The HSE has recently launched a facility - www.medicalcard.ie - where a person who has applied through the PCRS can view the status of their medical/GP visit card application or review on-line, using a unique reference number that is provided on the acknowledgement sent to them. If a mobile telephone number is supplied with the application/review, an acknowledgement of receipt and the application status/progress of the case will automatically be delivered to the applicant by text message as their case proceeds through the assessment process. The PCRS is also finalising the development of a facility which will allow people to apply on-line if they wish.

The most recent figures provided to my Department by the HSE show that in 2009, the PCRS processed over 72,000 medical card applications. This included nearly 42,000 reviews. In relation to these reviews, 85% of cases where the required information was supplied were completed within 20 days and 95% within 30 days. The HSE has no control over delays where relevant information is not provided but it has confirmed that when the required information is received, the review is processed without further delay.

The other information sought by the Deputy is not provided by the HSE to my Department, as a matter of routine. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have these matters addressed and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 257: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if the spouse of a person who is entitled to a medical card on the basis of holding a pension from another EU state is entitled to a medical card on the basis of the spouse having the entitlement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3053/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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Under EU Regulations a person residing in Ireland who is in receipt of a pension from another member state and is not linked to Irish social security legislation is issued with a medical card. The spouse of such persons is also entitled to a medical card provided they are not subject to Irish social security legislation.