Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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510. To ask the Minister for Health if there are plans to make the drug evusheld available in Ireland given that it has been approved by the European Medicines Agency and is currently in use in Europe and America; the stage that these plans are at; when those who are immunosuppressed are likely have access to the drug; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46973/22]

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.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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511. To ask the Minister for Health if he will address the matter raised in correspondence (details supplied) in relation to the drugs payment scheme card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46982/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is committed to making healthcare more accessible and affordable and has introduced several reductions in the cost of healthcare.

The Drug Payment Scheme (DPS) provides for the refund of the amount by which expenditure on approved prescribed medicines or medical and surgical appliances exceeds a named threshold in any calendar month. The DPS is not means tested and is available to anyone normally resident in Ireland.

The DPS threshold was reduced twice in 2022; to €100 per month as of 1 January 2022, and to €80 per month as of 1 March 2022. The DPS significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals with ongoing expenditure on medicines.

People who cannot, without undue hardship, arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants may be eligible for a medical card under the General Medical Services (GMS) scheme. In accordance with the provisions of the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a medical card is determined by the HSE. In certain circumstances, the HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card, even though an applicant exceeds the income guidelines, where he or she faces difficult financial circumstances, such as extra costs arising from illness.

In circumstances where an applicant is still over the income limit for a medical card, they are then assessed for a GP visit card. Since 2015, every individual aged 70 and over has automatic eligibility for a GP visit card.

On 1 November 2020, prescription charges under the GMS scheme were reduced as follows:

- For persons over 70, the charges were reduced to €1 per item with a maximum monthly charge of €10 per person or family per month.

- For persons under 70, the charges were reduced to €1.50 per item with a maximum monthly charge of €15 per person or family.

In addition to this change, the weekly gross medical card income thresholds for those aged 70 and over were increased to €550 per week for a single person and €1,050 for a couple. This increase ensures that a greater proportion of those aged 70 and over now qualify for a medical card.

It is also important to note that the DPS is deliberately designed as a simple universal non-means tested scheme which is in place to protect those who do not qualify for a medical card from excessive medical costs. There is a process around means testing for medical cards which requires the HSE to consider hardship and inability to pay for required health care when making determinations around eligibility. The introduction of a two-tiered DPS threshold would introduce an element of complexity in that scheme – including legislative, IT and verification changes – that is not warranted when there is already a system in place for the HSE to issue discretionary medical cards on hardship grounds.

Finally, individuals may also be entitled to claim tax relief on the cost of their medical expenses. This includes medicines prescribed by a doctor, dentist, or consultant. Relief is at the standard tax rate of 20%.