Doctors: HSE ‘as good as lying’ over medical card criteria
The Irish Medical Organisation took the stance as a €150,000 information campaign was launched by the HSE to address “confusion” over who is entitled to the help.
The campaign includes adverts, a dedicated website for people applying for cards, and a rise in helpline staff numbers.
Attempts to make official medical card correspondence more “sensitive” through increased interaction with patient groups and the National Adult Literacy Agency has also begun.
However, despite the move and an apology from Health Minister James Reilly over the “lack of clarity” on the issue, the IMO said the strategy amounts to little more than “spin”.
Ray Walley, IMO GP committee chair, said: “The HSE is clinging desperately to their claim eligibility criteria haven’t changed, but if the application of those criteria has changed — and it has — then they are as good as lying.”
Noting the lack of clarity over how many cards will be lost due to the €113m in budget cuts, Dr Walley added: “I fear widespread chaos over the coming months as the HSE start their purge on foot of the budget.”
The HSE said 428,000 general medical cards were reviewed this year compared with 365,200 in 2012. There has also been a jump in the number of initial rejections being successfully appealed, from 30% in 2012 [5,628 appeals, 1,732 allowed] to 40% between January and June this year [2,933 and 1,197].
However, officials said the increased initial scrutiny is not part of a clampdown, insisting 23,000 discretionary cards have still been provided in 2013.
The latest row came on the same day as it emerged the HSE’s national service plan — which details how the health budget will be used for each part of the system — will be delayed.
Dr Reilly has written to senior HSE officials to confirm they will be given at least 10 extra days to finalise the €666m worth of cutbacks — meaning that it will not now be provided in mid-November. Central to the delay is whether the €113m medical card cut can be met.
Senior HSE officials declined yesterday to categorically state that legitimate medical card holders will not be affected by the financial cull, which is meant to focus on “redundant” cards.
HSE assistant national director and head of the primary care reimbursement service, Paddy Burke, said “the service plan will deal” with the €113m figure — despite the PCRS being central to discussions.
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