Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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291. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to reverse the decision to charge persons with haemochromatosis that require several venesections yearly €80 per treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47747/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Outpatient charges are set by S.I. No. 45/2013 - Health (Out-Patient Charges) Regulations 2013. Currently the only charge for an outpatient service is at an Emergency Department (ED). Medical Card holders are exempt from this ED charge.

The €80 charged referred to by the Deputy is the statutory daily charge, up to a maximum of €800, where a person has been referred to a hospital for an in-patient service, including that provided on a day case basis. Medical card holders are also exempt from this charge. On this basis, where venesection is classed as a day case procedure and is not carried out in an out patient setting, the public in-patient charge applies. There are no plans at present to exclude haemochromatosis patients from this charge.