Proposed medical charge hikes criticised

Proposed hikes in charges for medical benefits have been criticised by the Irish Patients Organisation and the Irish Pharmacy Union.

News that an annual charge of €50 for medical cards was is being considered by Government was contained in a report in The Irish Times today.

New charges may also be introduced for home help or other community services the report claimed.

However Darragh O’Loughlin, president of the Irish Pharmacy Union said quadrupling the current prescription levy from 50 cent to €2 “could present a significant barrier for people who are already facing real financial hardship”.

Mr O’Loughlin said the rise “would lead to many patients simply not taking medicines prescribed for them”. He said any increase in costs would increase the number of patients struggling to continue taking their medicines.

The Irish Patients’ Organisation also voiced its opposition with chairman Stephen McMahon describing costs as “a matter of patient safety of the highest priority”.

Speaking to The Irish Times Mr McMahon said the cuts "may make sense from a fiscal point of view but the impact on patients who are already struggling will be penal, absolutely penal".

“The government is ultimately accountable for the safety of the patients that will be affected by these proposed charges if they are implemented, and Minister Howlin must immediately publish ’patient impact statements’ for these budgetary proposals,“ he said.

Minister for Health James Reilly gave details of the cuts under consideration for the forthcoming budget at a Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting last night.