Michael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 300: To ask the Minister for Health and Children, further to the recently introduced 50 cent charge per item on prescribed medicines, if she will consider exempting medical card holders suffering from diabetes as non medical card holders suffering from diabetes are entitled to a long-term illness book and are exempt from the 50 cent charge; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37731/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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Under the Long Term Illness Scheme, the HSE provides patients with medicines and appliances for the treatment of their disease or disability. It does not cover the cost of GP visits.

Medical card holders do not have to pay for GP visits. With effect from the 1 October, medical card holders are required to pay a 50c charge for medicines and other prescription items supplied to them by community pharmacists, subject to a cap of €10 per month for each person or family. Prescription charges do not apply to children in the care of the HSE or to methadone supplied to patients participating in the Methadone Treatment Scheme. There are no plans to exempt any other products or categories of patients from the charge.