Harney plans 50 cent levy on drugs

A CHARGE on all medical card prescriptions is being considered for the first time, in a bid to subsidise the health budget and stop doctors putting people on too much medication.

Health Minister Mary Harney said a €0.50 charge on every drug included on a medical card holder’s prescription is being considered as part of the discussions on next month’s budget.

Money had to be found to pay for the €1bn savings being sought in the health area. And Ms Harney said Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan is also concerned too much medication is being prescribed.

“We know that one in six people who get a prescription under the GMS [General Medical Service] are prescribed 10 or more items. Very few people need 10 or more items. The Chief Medical Officer would say to me that that is not good for patient safety.

“[The charge] is on the table. It could be something like 50 cent per item prescribed. We have to do two things, we have to raise money and we have to discourage over-prescribing and the over-use of medication,” she said.

Her logic has been criticised by Eamon Timmins of Age Action Ireland who said it will create hardship for sick people. He said patients do not decide what medication they take and the charge would punish them for decisions of doctors.

The charge would follow the practice of the National Health Service in Britain. However, Mr Timmins said Ms Harney would have to consider waivers similar to those applied by the NHS to remove those who require constant medication from the charge. Otherwise patients with chronic and long-term illnesses would be penalised the most.

A department spokesman said the €0.50 proposal was one of a number of possible routes being considered.

Speaking on RTÉ’s The Week in Politics Ms Harney said the Government had no choice but to make the savings and prescription charges was a viable option.

In July Colm McCarthy’s An Bord Snip Nua recommended a charge of €5 on all prescriptions, this led to fears doctors would unnecessarily load up prescriptions to try save people money.

Mr McCarthy estimated the €5 charge would generate €70m each year.

Fine Gael’s Dr James Reilly said there was a problem with over-prescribing, but hitting medical card holders was not fair.

Labour Party health spokeswoman Jan O’Sullivan criticised the minister for considering the charge and said looking for revenue from those on the GMS was hitting the worst off.

Ms O’Sullivan’s comments came after pre-budget political party sparring intensified during the weekend.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore, after his party’s pre-budget forum, said difficult choices would have to be made but revenue could be raised in a number of ways. This included eliminating property related tax relief schemes and a third tax-band. He did not support plans to target child benefit payments.