Written answers

Tuesday, 8 July 2014

Department of Health

Long-Term Illness Scheme Eligibility

Photo of Thomas PringleThomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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733. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 3 of 25 June 2014, if he will confirm that all persons who were on the long-term illness scheme and were also medical card holders at any stage during the three-year reimbursement period will receive said reimbursement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29452/14]

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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792. To ask the Minister for Health if the prescription charges being incurred by clients who transferred from the long-term illness cards to medical cards have been resolved; if refunds will be issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29944/14]

Photo of Alex WhiteAlex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 733 and 792 together.

Persons suffering from prescribed conditions can get free drugs, medicines and medical and surgical appliances for the treatment of that condition under the Long Term Illness Scheme. Medical card holders are required to pay prescription charges. Prescription charges are not payable in respect of items supplied under the Long Term Illness Scheme.

In the case of persons who have both the medical card and an LTI book, it was HSE policy that they should use their medical card to access medicines. The main reason for this was that when a retail mark-up of 20% was payable to pharmacists for items supplied under the LTI Scheme it cost the HSE considerably more to supply medicines under the LTI Scheme than under the GMS Scheme.

Following a review of the rates of fees payable to health professionals (under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, 2009) my colleague, Minister Reilly, announced (on the 2nd of July 2013) the elimination of the retail mark-up. As a result, the HSE revised its policy on this matter and persons who have both a medical card and LTI can now access medication for their qualifying long term illness condition(s) under the LTI Scheme.

The HSE is actively in the process of identifying any person who had eligibility under the Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme and who, while having concurrent eligibility under the Medical Card Scheme, paid prescription charges prior to the 1st December 2013 for drugs, medicines, medical and surgical appliances related to their qualifying long term illness(es) dispensed under the GMS Scheme, by a registered pharmacist.

The HSE is collating the details regarding the numbers of people affected and how much they will be refunded. It is anticipated that the HSE will be in a position to make refunds to the relevant individuals in the coming weeks.

Photo of Thomas PringleThomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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734. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to any instance whereby eligibility for the long-term illness scheme was revoked on the grounds that the person was also a medical card holder; if there was at any stage a policy whereby persons on the long-term illness scheme could not also be a medical card holder; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29453/14]

Photo of Alex WhiteAlex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The Long Term Illness (LTI) scheme is a non-means tested scheme established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act 1970 (as amended).

Persons suffering from prescribed conditions can get free drugs, medicines and medical and surgical appliances for the treatment of that condition under the LTI Scheme. Medical card holders are required to pay prescription charges. Prescription charges are not payable in respect of items supplied under the LTI Scheme.

In the case of persons who have both the medical card and an LTI book, it was HSE policy that they should use their medical card to access medicines. The main reason for this was that when a retail mark-up of 20% was payable to pharmacists for items supplied under the LTI Scheme it cost the HSE considerably more to supply medicines under the LTI Scheme than under the GMS Scheme.

Following a review of the rates of fees payable to health professionals (under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, 2009) my colleague, Minister Reilly, announced (on the 2nd of July 2013) the elimination of the retail mark-up. As a result, the HSE revised its policy on this matter and persons who have both a medical card and LTI can now access medication for their qualifying long term illness condition(s) under the LTI Scheme.

The Medical Card Scheme is a means tested scheme established under section 58 of the Health Acts 1970 (as amended). The Medical Card scheme does not specifically preclude those persons who had/have eligibility under the LTI scheme.

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