deepdivejunkie
21-04-2012, 21:38
The government’s sweeping changes to the health system will include a new sliding scale for prescription charges, announced yesterday by the Minister for Health, Ana Mato.
Prescriptions will remain free for pensioners on the basic state pension but those with enhanced, non-contributory pensions will pay 10 per cent of the cost of their medication, averaging between eight and 18 euros a month.
Those in work earning up to 18,000 euros will continue to pay 40 per cent of the cost of medicines while, for those earning between 18,000 euros and 100,000 euros, that cost will rise from 40 to 50 per cent.
For those earning above 100,000 euros the cost will rise to 60 per cent of the cost of the medication up to a maximum of 60 euros a month.
The minister said the measures, agreed with the regions, will save the health service around seven billion euros a year and, as if to sweeten the pill, said that for the first time ever, those out of work, who have run out of unemployment benefits, will pay nothing at all.
The new payment scale comes, in part, in response to a soaring bill for medication, which has already led to the introduction of the use of generic medicines where possible.
The minister announced other measures, which include the setting up of a central purchasing centre to ensure the lowest possible prices from the pharmaceutical companies.
There are also plans to cut back on waste through over-prescription with an estimated 3,700 tons of medication thrown away every year at a cost of 1.2 billion euros.
The minister also took aim at “health tourism” and the abuse of the system by foreigners, which is believed to cost the health service around a billion euros a year.
As a result, the new statute will include measures which, “explicitly prohibits travel with the sole purpose of seeking health care.”
Prescriptions will remain free for pensioners on the basic state pension but those with enhanced, non-contributory pensions will pay 10 per cent of the cost of their medication, averaging between eight and 18 euros a month.
Those in work earning up to 18,000 euros will continue to pay 40 per cent of the cost of medicines while, for those earning between 18,000 euros and 100,000 euros, that cost will rise from 40 to 50 per cent.
For those earning above 100,000 euros the cost will rise to 60 per cent of the cost of the medication up to a maximum of 60 euros a month.
The minister said the measures, agreed with the regions, will save the health service around seven billion euros a year and, as if to sweeten the pill, said that for the first time ever, those out of work, who have run out of unemployment benefits, will pay nothing at all.
The new payment scale comes, in part, in response to a soaring bill for medication, which has already led to the introduction of the use of generic medicines where possible.
The minister announced other measures, which include the setting up of a central purchasing centre to ensure the lowest possible prices from the pharmaceutical companies.
There are also plans to cut back on waste through over-prescription with an estimated 3,700 tons of medication thrown away every year at a cost of 1.2 billion euros.
The minister also took aim at “health tourism” and the abuse of the system by foreigners, which is believed to cost the health service around a billion euros a year.
As a result, the new statute will include measures which, “explicitly prohibits travel with the sole purpose of seeking health care.”