Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Old Age Pensioners.
- Pensioners’ medical cards by health board 9 speeches
De Rossa sought regional counts of old age pensioners holding medical cards. The Minister gave an approximate Eastern Health Board figure of 62,000, but said figures for the other boards were unavailable.
Proinsias De Rossa, Fergus O'Brien
- Medical cards withdrawn from pensioners 2 speeches
De Rossa asked how many pensioners had lost medical cards since full eligibility was withdrawn; the Minister said the information required a separate question.
Proinsias De Rossa, Fergus O'Brien
- Availability of pensioner medical card figures 6 speeches
Members challenged why health boards could not provide regional counts or figures showing the change in cardholders after eligibility procedures changed. The Minister said the boards lacked the information and compiling it would require examining individual files.
Pádraig Flynn, Fergus O'Brien, Rory O'Hanlon
- Savings from withdrawing medical cards 2 speeches
De Rossa asked how much the Government was saving by withdrawing pensioners’ medical cards; the Ceann Comhairle ruled it a separate question.
Proinsias De Rossa, Thomas J. Fitzpatrick
asked the Minister for Health the number of old age pensioners in the Eastern Health Board region who hold medical cards.
4.
Comment on this
asked the Minister for Health the number of old age pensioners in the Midland Health Board region who hold medical cards.
5.
Comment on this
asked the Minister for Health the number of old age pensioners in the Mid Western Health Board region who hold medical cards.
6.
Comment on this
asked the Minister for Health the number of old age pensioners in the North Eastern Health Board region who hold medical cards.
7.
Comment on this
asked the Minister for Health the number of old age pensioners in the North Western Health Board region who hold medical cards.
8.
Comment on this
asked the Minister for Health the number of old age pensioners in the South Eastern Health Board region who hold medical cards.
9.
Comment on this
asked the Minister for Health the number of old age pensioners in the Southern Health Board region who hold medical cards.
10.
Comment on this
asked the Minister for Health the number of old age pensioners in the Western Health Board region who hold medical cards.
Comment on this
I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 10, inclusive, together. The number of old age pensioners in the Eastern Health Board area who hold medical cards is approximately 62,000. This information is not available for the other health board areas.
Comment on this
How many medical cards have been withdrawn from old age pensioners in these health board areas since the Government withdrew full eligibility from old age pensioners?
Comment on this
The Minister has said he has the numbers available for the Eastern Health Board. Is there any reason why the numbers cannot be furnished for the other health boards?
Comment on this
The health boards do not take up this type of processing at that level. If we were to get the figures it would mean examining every file and I doubt if the cost would be justified.
Comment on this
How many were added to the total number holding medical cards since the change in procedures allowing old age pensioners to have medical cards? Obviously there is a great difference between the numbers before and after the change came about.
Comment on this
Is the Minister not aware that health cards are computerised now and therefore this information should be available very readily? Does he know that since this Government came to power they wrote to all old age pensioners who automatically got medical cards to ask them to put in new claims. Surely the information is available from that process.
Comment on this
I was asked for the number of old age pensioners holding medical cards, and I have not got that information. The health boards have indicated that they have not got it. Perhaps it is generally computerised but the health boards have told me they have not got the information.
Comment on this
Can the Minister say how much money the Government are saving by withdrawing medical cards?
