James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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419. To ask the Minister for Health if he will introduce a subsidised asthma medication for persons under 18 years of age in the absence of asthma being recognised under the long-term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18229/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As you are aware, asthma is not one of the 16 conditions covered under the Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme. There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the LTI Scheme, or to introduce a separate scheme providing subsidised asthma medication.

However, under the Drugs Payment Scheme, no individual or family pays more than €144 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The scheme significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals incurring ongoing expenditure on medicines.

Under the provisions of the Health Acts, medical cards are provided to persons who are, in the opinion of the Health Service Executive (HSE), unable without undue hardship to arrange GP services for themselves and their dependants. In the assessment process, the HSE can take into account medical costs incurred by an individual or a family.