Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 62: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason many pharmacies around the country are charging customers over and above the monthly cap of €10 for prescription charges recently introduced for medical card holders; if she will rectify this problem without delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41890/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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Since 1st October 2010, medical card holders are required to pay a 50c charge for medicines and other prescription items supplied to them by community pharmacists. The charges are subject to a cap of €10 per month for each person or family. In 2008 only 2.1% of families with medical cards had 20 or more items prescribed to them per month.

Should a person or family pay more than €10, for example if different pharmacies are used in the same month, the HSE will issue refunds automatically on a quarterly basis based on the information received from the dispensing pharmacy. However, if a person considers that they have not received the refund due to them there is a refund claim form available through the HSE and an online version of the form is available on www.medicalcard.ie.

In some cases family members may not have the same medical card number, e.g. where more than one doctor is used by the family. It is important for all of the family members to be grouped together so that any prescription charge paid by them goes towards reaching the maximum total monthly charge payable. Patients can check online that all members of their family are grouped together or contact the HSE directly at 1800-252-919. If necessary, patients can set their family up as a family group on www.medicalcard.ie and print off a certificate (family certificate) to give to their pharmacists. Patients can also contact their Local Health Office or call 1890-252-919 to provide their family details and a certificate will be posted out.

It is in the interests of both the HSE and patients that the instances of medical card holders being charged more than €10 per month for prescription charges are kept to an absolute minimum. As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.