Written answers

Thursday, 23 February 2017

Department of Health

Treatment Abroad Scheme

Photo of Niall CollinsNiall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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291. To ask the Minister for Health the assistance he will provide to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9121/17]

Photo of Niall CollinsNiall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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324. To ask the Minister for Health if assistance will be provided to a person (details supplied) with a query; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9293/17]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 291 and 324 together.

Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.

The HSE operates a Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS), for persons entitled to treatment in another EU/EEA Member State or Switzerland under EU Regulation 883/04, as per the procedures set out in EU Regulation 987/09, and in accordance with Department of Health Guidelines. Patients apply to the HSE TAS seeking access to public healthcare outside the State through model form E112. The application requires the patient's Irish-based public referring hospital consultant, following clinical assessment, to certify, among other things, that the treatment is medically necessary and will meet the patient’s needs. The treatment must not be available within the State or not available within a time normally necessary for obtaining it.

The result of the EU referendum in the UK means that the UK electorate have declared their wish to leave the EU. It is important to be clear that until the UK formally withdraws from the Union, it remains a full member, with all of its existing rights and obligations. I wish to assure the Deputy that there are no immediate changes in the area of health as a consequence of the UK's decision to leave the EU. Irish patients who had planned to travel to the UK under the Treatment Abroad Scheme may continue to do so as planned.

An extensive programme of engagement with all other EU Governments and the EU institutions, including the Commission’s Brexit Negotiations Task Force, is under way. The Taoiseach and Ministers will continue to meet and engage with their EU counterparts over coming weeks to emphasise Ireland’s concerns and to ensure that they are fully reflected in the EU position once negotiations commence.

The programme for Government contained a commitment to extend medical card eligibility for all children in receipt of Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA). I received permission from Government to draft the new Bill in December. This new legislation will effectively mean that all children in respect of whom a DCA payment is made will automatically qualify for a medical card and, therefore, no longer be subject to the medical card means test at any point in the future while in receipt of DCA. The drafting of the legislation is at an advanced stage and will be brought before the Oireachtas as quickly as possible. The HSE has commenced the process of planning for the introduction of the scheme and my objective is that this measure be put into effect as soon as possible.

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