Parents of four-year-old cancer patient pursued by hospital's debt collector

The parents of a four-year-old cancer patient who was turned down for a medical card are being pursued by a hospital debt collector for almost €1,000 in care-related bills.

Campaign group Our Children’s Health revealed the situation as it claimed there has been “zero progress” in addressing the medical cards scandal since government plans to solve the crisis were launched last November.

However, Health Minister Leo Varadkar rejected the inaction accusation last night, saying the number of discretionary medical cards has risen from 50,294 to 76,000 since last summer and key reform appointments will be made today.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, campaign spokesperson Peter Fitzpatrick said despite promises that the crisis, which dogged government last year, has been tackled, families of seriously ill children are still being turned down.

In the past two weeks, Mr Fitzpatrick said the group has been contacted by seven families of children aged two to seven who have had medical card applications rejected.

They include the family of a four-year-old child who is being treated for cancer in a midlands hospital.

The family was recently told they will not receive a discretionary medical card despite almost €1,000 in care bills. The hospital in question has contacted a debt collection agency to ensure it is paid.

Four other children aged two and seven who are also fighting cancer have seen calls for help turned down this month, while a family whose child is terminally ill due to muscular dystrophy has also been rejected.

The HSE declined to comment on the midlands debt collection case due to data protection rules. However, Our Children’s Health — which was key to forcing a Government U-turn on the issue in May — said the cases prove vulnerable people are still losing out.

“After all that has happened this issue is simply not a priority for Government. They would do well to remember it was the single biggest issue raised in May’s local and European elections” said Mr Fitzpatrick.

Responding to the claims, Mr Varadkar said reforms are taking place but admitted some people are still falling through the cracks.

“I reject the suggestion nothing has changed. Discretionary medical cards are no longer subject to random reviews. No card issued on the basis of a terminal illness should be reviewed.

End dates are no longer included on the cards.

However, this is still a work in progress. And that means in some cases medical cards are being refused,” he said.