Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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444. To ask the Minister for Health the scheme available for Irish residents to have medical procedures carried out here through the private health system, where they may receive a reimbursement of their medical fees similar to the cross-Border health initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14616/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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A key challenge for the health system is ensuring timely access to health services. There has been a considerable increase in demand for care in our health system in recent years. In order to effectively manage waiting lists, those patients waiting longest must be prioritised, once emergency and urgent cases have been dealt with. The Programme for a Partnership Government (PfPG) emphasises the need for sustained commitment to improving waiting times for patients, with a particular focus on those patients waiting longest.

No scheme currently exists to commission treatment at individual patient level within the Republic of Ireland for persons resident here. The Health Service Executive does, however, operate the EU Directive on Patients' Rights in Cross Border Healthcare in Ireland. Under the Directive, patients are entitled to have costs of cross-border healthcare services reimbursed if the healthcare service in question is among the benefits to which they are entitled in their Member State of affiliation. The HSE is proactive in advising potential users of the Scheme that reimbursement will be at the cost of the treatment availed of abroad or the cost of providing the healthcare in Ireland, whichever is the lesser. Information on the Scheme, and its administration, is available from the National Contact Point of the HSE, details of which are on the HSE website. The NCP is happy to advise patients of the reimbursement rate that will apply to the assessment/treatment being accessed. The HSE endeavours to reimburse the cost of treatment incurred or the cost of providing such healthcare in the State, which ever is the lesser, to the applicant within 30 days of receipt of a claim for reimbursement, in line with Prompt Payment Legislation.

The 2016 HSE Service Plan undertakes to maintain 2015 levels of service in respect of scheduled care and to continue to address waiting times as part of the regular performance and accountability process. Currently, 94% of patients wait less than the maximum waiting time of 15 months for inpatient, daycase or outpatient procedures, with c. 60% of patients waiting less than 6 months for their required care. With regard to the PfPG commitment to provide €15 million in funding to the NTPF in 2017, the Department will engage with the National Treatment Purchase Fund and the HSE to deliver on this commitment. As outlined in the Programme, this initiative will commence in 2017 and focus on those patients waiting longest. The PfPG also contains a commitment to continued investment of €50 million per year to address waiting lists.