Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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220. To ask the Minister for Health his views on some hospital groups charging €80 to haemochromatosis patients requiring venesection; and the steps he will take on behalf of persons receiving this life saving treatment. [6289/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides that all people ordinarily resident in the country are entitled, subject to certain charges, to public in-patient hospital services including consultant services and to public out-patient hospital services. Under s52 of the Health Act 1970, as amended by s12 of the Health (Amendment) Act 2013, a person who has been referred to a hospital for an in-patient service, including that provided on a day case basis, will have to pay the statutory daily charge, currently €80 per day, up to a maximum of €800 per year. 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.

My Department is currently considering the issue of the application of the public in-patient charge of €80 for venesection in Acute Hospitals and an early meeting with the HSE in this regard is envisaged.