Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 405: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of nursing home refund applications still outstanding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15521/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The Health Service Executive (HSE) has responsibility for administering the health repayment scheme in conjunction with the appointed scheme administrator KPMG/McCann Fitzgerald.

Since the commencement of the scheme 35,000 applications have been received by the Scheme Administrator. As of 9 April 21,274 offers of repayment totalling over €434 million have been made and 19,074 payments have been completed to the value of over €428 million. In the region of 50 applications remain to be determined. The delay in completing these outstanding applications is due to the quality of available records, probate issues and difficulties in determining eligibility status of claimants. The time taken to process each application is dependent on the complexity of the application and the availability of accurate records. In addition an offer of repayment cannot be completed until the statutory 28 appeal period has elapsed and a completed form of acceptance returned to the Scheme Administrator. Claimants must be given the opportunity to appeal the decision of the Scheme Administrator and the appeals process will impact on the overall timeframe for the completion of repayments under the Scheme.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 406: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of nursing home refund appeals processed in the past 12 months; the length of time it takes to process each application, both oral and written; the cost of administering the appeals office; the payment mechanism for the appeals officers; when it is expected to clear the backlog; the numbers involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15522/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The Health Repayment Scheme Appeals Office is an independent office established to provide an appeals service to those who wish to appeal the decision of the Scheme Administrator under the Health (Repayment Scheme) Act 2006.

1464 appeals were determined in 2009 and 225 have been determined in 2010. The Health Repayment Scheme Appeals Office continues to receive completed Appeals Forms and it is anticipated that the majority of appeals will be determined before the end of 2010. Information submitted to my Department on waiting times for appeals to be determined does not distinguish between those where an Oral Hearing has been requested and those where no such Hearing is sought. As of 9 April 2010, the average time for all appeals that have been determined is 221 calendar days.

The Appeals Officers must investigate each appeal independently, these investigations can require additional reviews by the Health Service Executive and the Scheme Administrator and certain appeals present a high level of complexity. In addition a very high percentage of appellants have requested an Oral Hearing with an Appeals Officer.

The Health Repayment Scheme Appeals Office was established in December 2006. Two Appeals Officers have been appointed to consider appeals and the Office has four administration staff. The cost of administering the Appeals office since its establishment in 2006 up to 31 December 2009 is €1.567million. Salaries are paid to the Appeals Officers and staff by the Department of Health and Children. These salaries are then refunded on a quarterly basis to the Department of Health and Children from the Special Account as provided for under section 13 of the Health (Repayment Scheme) Act 2006.