Written answers
Wednesday, 10 July 2024
Department of Health
Medicinal Products
David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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386. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of reducing the drug payment scheme threshold to €5, €10, €15, €20, €40, €60 and €80, in tabular form. [30396/24]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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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 ordinarily resident in Ireland.
The DPS threshold was reduced twice in 2022:
- From €114 to €100 per month on 1 January 2022.
- From €100 to €80 per month on 1 March 2022.
The cost of reducing the DPS is estimated as follows:
| Threshold | Cost |
|---|---|
| €60 | €41.2m |
| €40 | €95.1m |
| €20 | €161.6m |
| €15 | €180.3m |
| €10 | €199.7m |
| €5 | €219.9m |
These costings do not take account of changes in demographics, eligibility (e.g., changes in the number of medical card holders), or claimant behaviour arising from the DPS reduction.
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