Speech on medical card application process delays – 23/02/12

As many members here will be aware,  frequently application forms for Medical Cards are still being returned to applicants by the HSE seeking additional information. I am aware of one application in my own constituency where the initial application was made in early October but still no decision has been made. Ceann Comhairle, this is a totally unacceptable timeframe.

I fully understand that there will be instances where additional information will always be required but in many cases I believe that much of the fault lies with the HSE application form.

Generally I believe that the HSE needs to broaden its criteria and to clearly state on its Medical Card application forms ALL documentation that is likely to be needed to progress an application to avoid unnecessary application delays.

I must point out that the onus is on the HSE to ensure that there is no ambiguity as to exactly what documentation needs to be forwarded with a medical card application. Currently, however, and as many members will be aware, that is certainly not the case.

In fact, Ceann Comhairle, I believe that there needs to be a reform of the Medical Card Application process. Unnecessary Medical Card re- applications currently exist whilst many applicants on meagre incomes continue to pay medical and prescription bills. This is causing hardship and worry and is unacceptable.

 

I also wish to point out to the house that in cases of medical card appeals I am aware of situations whereby the HSE has suspended the card and its benefits despite stating that it does not undertake this practice. I have been made aware of this situation by constituents in my own constituency offices.

Furthermore, I am also aware of another constituent of mine whom we helped to apply for a medical card. All documentation, as required according to the application form was furnished to the HSE. Yet still the application was returned to the constituent seeking more information. In the interest of efficiency and consistency, Ceann Comhairle,     this situation should not arise.  

 

The HSE Medical Card application form itself needs to be urgently redrafted. It needs to be more precise and to ensure that all possible documentation needed is requested at the outset.  Might I suggest the provision of an attached explanation booklet as to what documentation should also be submitted to back up applications.

 

Ceann Comhairle, many Medical Card applicants in receipt of Social Welfare payments, are of course elderly, many are bachelors or spinsters and living on their own.  Most, obviously have medical problems and many are simply not up to the rigors of providing a tax clearance certificate for example which requires lengthy paperwork to request in the first place.    

These are also people who do not find it easy to telephone a helpline let alone leave a message after  an officious  HSE recording.  In many such cases, Ceann Comhairle,  people deserving of Medical Cards are going without them because they feel they are simply not up to the application process.

Based on some individual applications of such scenarios of which I am aware it is my belief that a little more flexibility on the part of the HSE should be exercised when dealing with such applicants. Otherwise the result, time and time again, will be an incomplete Medical Card application that will be sent back to the applicant for more information resulting in an extremely protracted  delay timeframe.

 

Ceann Comhairle, realistically is all the current documentation required by the HSE for a medical card application’s necessary? The answer to this question needs to be closely examined again in the interests of efficiency,  consistency and most importantly compassion.

Another issue I wish to bring to the attention of the house is that all applications for Medical Cards whether they be new or containing additional information are sent to one single  HSE section. This is inefficient and gives rise to un-necessary delay. It simply  does not make sense.

Any meaningful reform of the Medical Card Application process should also see the establishment of separate sections to deal with ‘already open’ Medical Card applications and a separate section to receive ‘totally new’ applications.

 

Ceann Comhairle, in conclusion I also wish to refer to yet another issue that continues to arise with alarming frequency regarding Medical Card applications. Important documentation requested by the HSE to accompany Medical Card applications frequently gets lost. This is totally unacceptable as in many cases these are original documents.

I just want to inform the house that a distraught and recently diagnosed cancer patient came to my office seeking help with a Medical Card application. The HSE had informed this constituent that it had lost the constituent’s documentation.

This constituent was about to face a medical procedure for cancer, had no medical card and was also fearful that because of the loss of her document that she might never get a medical card as she faced the biggest challenge of her entire life.  Totally unacceptable!

The issue in that particular instance was however addressed and a medical card issued swiftly following representations by me but this situation should not have arisen in the first place. Ceann Comhairle only reform of the medical card application process including a redrafting of the medical card application form itself will address these issues and relieve the backlog of Medical Card applications which exist at this current juncture.

 

Thank You.