Lipoedema treatment and reimbursement delays
Paul Murphy said women with lipoedema face delayed diagnosis and treatment, including long waits for reimbursement of surgery abroad. The Taoiseach rejected the claim that women’s health is neglected, cited investment and services, and the Chair ended the exchange.
Lipoedema is a painful and chronic condition affecting one in 11 women. If men were affected like this, there is no doubt that full treatment would be available in Ireland. However, because it is a women's health issue, like endometriosis, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, PMDD, and abortion, lipoedema has been neglected, with women waiting years for a diagnosis, never mind treatment. Until the end of last year, the HSE was reimbursing lipoedema surgeries carried out abroad under the cross-border healthcare directive within four to six weeks. This year, women are waiting ten months after borrowing money in the belief that they could repay it quickly. The HSE promised to tell the support network if reimbursement was being stopped and is still saying there is a backlog. I am now told that an HSE staff member has let slip to one of the women that the HSE has paused the applications. What is going on? It is outrageous. I have a photograph here of the legs of a woman affected by this debilitating condition. How dare the HSE and the Minister mess her around? What is the Government going to do about it?
Comment on this
I do not accept the Deputy's first point about women's health. Over the past five years, in particular, there has been very significant investment in women's health across the board. The former Minister, Stephen Donnelly, was particularly proactive in providing a range of services. We have more to do, particularly when one considers the Women's Health Action Plan and the progress to date. There is now approximately €180 million in specific funding. There are four additional postnatal hubs, bringing the national network to 13. We have the free contraception scheme. There are also see-and-treat ambulatory gynaecology clinics, of which there are now 19 across the country, established in rapid time. There are six specialist menopause clinics, free HRT medications, dispensing fees and so on, and six regional fertility hubs. I could go on.
On the specific issue, the cross-border directive is in place and we have to abide by and adhere to that. I will follow up with the HSE in respect of the specific issue.
