Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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547. To ask the Minister for Health if he will introduce a system to allow Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas to apply for medical cards on behalf of constituents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41077/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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548. To ask the Minister for Health if he will introduce an automatic entitlement to a medical card for persons on the long-term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41078/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Long Term Illness Scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act 1970 (as amended).

The conditions covered by the LTI are: acute leukaemia; mental handicap; cerebral palsy; mental illness (in a person under 16); cystic fibrosis; multiple sclerosis; diabetes insipidus; muscular dystrophies; diabetes mellitus; parkinsonism; epilepsy; phenylketonuria; haemophilia; spina bifida; hydrocephalus; and conditions arising from the use of Thalidomide.

Under the scheme, patients receive drugs, medicines, and medical and surgical appliances directly related to the treatment of their illness, free of charge.

To qualify for the LTI, a person must be ‘ordinarily resident’ in the Republic of Ireland. Applications are made directly to the HSE by completing the Long Term Illness Scheme application form.

I wish to advise the Deputy that under the Health Act 1970, eligibility for a medical card is based primarily on means. The Act does not provide for automatic eligibility based on having a particular disease or illness.

Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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549. To ask the Minister for Health if he will address the anomaly in which amounts awarded toward children's glasses vary depending on the area they live; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41079/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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550. To ask the Minister for Health if he will include all blood tests in the medical card scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41080/20]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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557. To ask the Minister for Health the reason general practitioners are being permitted to charge medical card holders for blood tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41135/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 550 and 557 together.

Persons who are eligible for GP care without charge under the Health Act 1970 are not subject to any co-payments or other charges in respect of such services. There is no provision under the GMS GP contract for persons who hold a medical card or GP visit card to be charged for routine phlebotomy services provided by their GP which are required to either assist in the diagnosis of illness or the treatment of a condition and the HSE has advised GPs accordingly. This has been advised to GPs by the HSE.

The GP chronic disease management programme which is being phased in from this year will involve the ongoing monitoring of patients’ condition and any blood tests required in this context will be covered by the fees payable for this care. 

If a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card believes he or she has been incorrectly charged for routine phlebotomy services by his or her GP, then that patient should report the matter to their HSE Local Health Office. The local management, upon being notified of potential inappropriate charging of GMS patients, carry out an investigation into each complaint and will, where appropriate, arrange for a refund of charges incorrectly applied by the GP.