Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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52. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to extend free primary care to those who require long-term mental health treatment, and to exempt them from the prescription levy, as recommended by Mental Health Reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35816/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Under the Health Act, 1970, eligibility for a medical card is founded primarily on the undue financial hardship test and every application must be assessed on that basis. In accordance with the Act, the assessment for a medical card is determined primarily by reference to the means, including the income and expenditure, of the applicant and his or her partner and dependants. Where deemed appropriate in particular circumstances, the HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card even though an applicant exceeds the income guidelines but where they face difficult financial circumstances, such as extra costs arising from an illness.

At 1st September 2015, over 45% of the national population had free access to GP services under Universal GP Care and the GMS Scheme: 37.3% of the population had medical cards and 7.9% had GP visit cards.

The Government’s Statement of Government Priorities 2014-2016 reiterated the commitment to the introduction of a universal GP service for the entire population, in line with the Programme for Government. This Government is the first in the history of the State to commit itself to implementing a universal GP service for the entire population. The roll-out of a universal GP service for the under 6s began in July and for the over 70s began in August. Budget 2016 includes a commitment to the extension of GP care without fees to all children aged 11 years and under.

Work is continuing on the development of a scheme for the provision of a GP service without fees to the entire population. This includes consideration of approaches, timing, administrative and financial implications of a range of options with a view to bringing developed proposals to Government and a decision will be made by the Government in due course. The extension of GP services without fees will have full regard to and ensure compatibility with future developments in relation to Universal Health Insurance.

Prescription charges are part of a set of measures introduced by Government in recent years to reduce pharmaceutical drugs expenditure. Medical card holders are required to pay a prescription charge of €2.50 per item for medicines and other prescription items supplied to them by community pharmacists, subject to a cap of €25 per month for each person or family. Prescription charges do not apply to children in the care of the Health Service Executive, asylum seekers living in direct provision, or to methadone supplied to patients participating in the Methadone Treatment Scheme. There are no plans to introduce exemptions for specific medical conditions.