Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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477. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of raising the annual financial threshold for a general practitioner visit card, on an entire population basis, in €500 intervals. [26329/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The estimated costings sought by the Deputy are unavailable in the format requested.

However, I can advise the Deputy that the cost of providing a universal GP service to the entire population has been previously estimated at €330m - €365m on the basis of the existing scope of the service, rates of payments to GPs and eligibility.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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478. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated additional cost of extending a medical card to all children to whom a domiciliary care allowance is being paid, but who do not currently have a medical card. [26330/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) payment is made by the Minister for Social Protection to carers in respect of a child at home under 16 years of age with a severe disability, where it has been determined that the child requires ongoing care and attention, substantially over and above the care and attention usually required by a child of the same age. Eligibility for the DCA is not based primarily on the medical or psychological condition, but on the resulting lack of function of body or mind necessitating the degree of extra care and attention required. As such it is not possible to say if a particular child or any particular medical condition or disability will qualify for a payment under the scheme. Out of an approximate population of 1 million people under the age of 16 years, almost 450,000 held a medical card or a GP visit card and approximately 29,000 children qualified for the DCA payment in 2014. It is estimated that about two-thirds of children qualifying for a DCA payment also hold a medical card.

In addition, from 1 July 2015, all children under the age of 6 years are entitled to access a GP service free of charge, as part of the first phase of introducing a universal GP service in Ireland. It has been estimated that the average expenditure per medical card was €973 in 2013, however, it is not possible to provide the actual costs requested by the Deputy as it would depend on the variable nature of the individuals’ requirements as well as the number of individuals and the quantum and cost of health services that would be used.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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479. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the interim report which was to be concluded within three months by the clinical advisory group established to develop guidance on assessing applications involving significant medical conditions; if this interim report has been submitted; and if so, the recommendations of same. [26331/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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On foot of the Report of the Expert Panel on Medical Need for Medical Card Eligibility, the Clinical Advisory Group was established by the Director General of the Health Service Executive on 26 January 2015. The Group has met regularly since. The Clinical Advisory Group reports to the National Director of Primary Care on a quarterly basis. The Group is continuing its consideration of the strengthening of the assessment process to provide for the measurement of the burden of disease. Its initial report will be considered by the HSE.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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480. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of reversing the changes to the assessment of means in medical card applications introduced in April 2013, regarding the treatment of home loans, credit union loans and pension contributions; the annual savings that the decision to no longer accept these as allowable expenses aims to accrue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26332/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.

The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.

If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.