No change in policy on discretionary medical cards, says Taoiseach

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has insisted there has been no change in Government policy on the issue of discretionary medical cards as Opposition TDs highlighted cases of seriously ill individuals being refused cards.

But he described as “not acceptable” a decision taken in the case of a 99-year-old incontinent woman.

Sinn Féin TD Martin Ferris said the woman is being cared for at home by her son, also a pensioner, whose supply of incontinence pads had been halved under "a new policy".

He asked: “How can any government justify that? She is living at home and saving the State a fortune.”

Mr Kenny said it was an “extraordinary” decision “for a senior citizen of such venerable years” and he said Mr Ferris should contact the Minister for Health.

Criteria changed

Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae first raised the issue claiming that in the past 25 days the criteria had changed and the medical card unit stopped issuing discretionary cards.

He said: “The parents of a child who is waiting for a prosthesis have been refused a medical card. A man who has been on a waiting list for a kidney transplant for three years was refused a medical card. A person suffering from cancer is waiting for a medical card.”

He pointed to the commitment in the programme for government on such cards and asked the Taoiseach: “Who pushed the button? Who told officers to stop issuing discretionary medical cards? As I said, people who have far more experience than me realise this is happening.”

Mr Kenny assured the Kerry TD there had been no change of policy but said: “It may well be the case that a number have come through with particular difficulties” and asked Mr Healy-Rae to forward the details of the cases.

Fianna Fáil TD Michael Moynihan highlighted a case that had been resolved since he raised it last week in the Dáil about how the medical card section refused to accept a letter from a consultant about a terminally ill cancer patient and instead "sent an email seeking clarification on whether the patient was receiving end-of-life treatment".