CHILDREN IN the care of the HSE and people supplied with controlled drugs such as methadone will be exempt from prescription charges for medical card holders.
The Cabinet yesterday approved proposed legislation to provide for a 50 cent charge to be imposed on each item prescribed under the medical card scheme. The charge will be capped at €10 per family per month.
The text of the Health Amendment No 2 Bill is expected to be published this week, it was announced at yesterday’s post-Cabinet briefing.
Minister for Health Mary Harney last week indicated that not all medical card holders would have to pay the 50 cent charge.
A spokesman for the Minister last night confirmed that while children in the care of the HSE and people supplied with specific controlled drugs such as methadone fell into this category, exemptions would not apply to people with long-term illness cards.
The charge was announced in last December’s budget, although it was flagged beforehand. Ms Harney said it would stop inappropriate prescribing.
