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16/10/2008
Lenihan Points Finger At Harney Over Medical Cards
Crumbling under the pressure over the decision to means-test medical cards for the over 70s, Brian Lenihan has instead laid the pressure at the door of his Cabinet colleague, Mary Harney.
Speaking in Brussels while attending a meeting on Lisbon, Mr Lenihan said Mary Harney was personally responsible for the decision to adjust the medical card arrangements.
The announcement came as it was revealed the estimated cost faced by those who failed the means test would be €2,000 per year.
The proposal has led to media and public outcry, with Mr Lenihan now hinting at a U-turn on his budgetary statement on the issue.
"The position is that an estimate has been provided for the Minister for Health and Children this year, out of which she has decided to vary the arrangements in relation to the medical cards, with the support of the Government," he said.
In response to the revelation, Fine Gael's Spokesman for Health, James Reilly, said: "The Health Minister herself told us that out of 139,000 people who have non-means tested over-70s medical cards, only 14,000 will retain them.
"The people who will lose entitlement to a medical card will also now be hit with doctors' fees, medicine bills, A&E fees, in-patient bed charges, chiropody fees, physiotherapy and occupational therapy bills. Those who lose the card, even if they qualify for the GP-visit card, will not have free access to the public health nurse.
" The Taoiseach must accept that this cutback, taken together with all the increased taxes and charges, is indeed 'unreasonable' and must be reversed."
(DW)
Speaking in Brussels while attending a meeting on Lisbon, Mr Lenihan said Mary Harney was personally responsible for the decision to adjust the medical card arrangements.
The announcement came as it was revealed the estimated cost faced by those who failed the means test would be €2,000 per year.
The proposal has led to media and public outcry, with Mr Lenihan now hinting at a U-turn on his budgetary statement on the issue.
"The position is that an estimate has been provided for the Minister for Health and Children this year, out of which she has decided to vary the arrangements in relation to the medical cards, with the support of the Government," he said.
In response to the revelation, Fine Gael's Spokesman for Health, James Reilly, said: "The Health Minister herself told us that out of 139,000 people who have non-means tested over-70s medical cards, only 14,000 will retain them.
"The people who will lose entitlement to a medical card will also now be hit with doctors' fees, medicine bills, A&E fees, in-patient bed charges, chiropody fees, physiotherapy and occupational therapy bills. Those who lose the card, even if they qualify for the GP-visit card, will not have free access to the public health nurse.
" The Taoiseach must accept that this cutback, taken together with all the increased taxes and charges, is indeed 'unreasonable' and must be reversed."
(DW)
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