Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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637. To ask the Minister for Health if he will consider reviewing the age cut-off for dependents on the drugs payment scheme 23 years old to bring it into line with the cut-off for dependents on the medical card/general practitioner visit card scheme 25 years old; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2875/13]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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Under the Medical Card Scheme, a person between the ages of 16 and 25 years, who is a dependant of a person who does not have a medical card, will only be provided with a medical card if the HSE assesses that it should be provided to avoid undue hardship to that person. This is set out in the Health Services (No 3) Regulations 1983 (S.I. No. 381 of 1983).

Under the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS), an individual or family only has to pay €144 each month for approved prescribed drugs, medicines and certain appliances for use by that person or his or her family in that month. The definition of a family for this Scheme is an adult, their spouse, and any children under 18 years. Dependents over 18 years and under 23 years who are in full time education may also be included. There are no plans to review the DPS age limit.