Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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1061. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated total full-year cost to the Exchequer to halve the drugs payment scheme monthly maximum payment from €80 to €40. [44154/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Drugs 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 estimated full year cost of reducing the DPS threshold to €40 is €95m.

This costing does not take account of demographic changes, changes in eligibility (e.g., loss of medical cards), or how a reduction in the DPS threshold may impact claimant behaviour.