Health directive helps amputee feel 'half human' again with funds for new artificial arm

Michael MacAogain at a workshop on raising awareness of patients’ rights to cross-border healthcare. Photo: Barry Cronin

A devastating accident meant Michael MacAogain eventually had to have his arm amputated, but thanks to a €120,000 credit union loan, reimbursed by the HSE under EU funding — and his new artificial arm — he feels “half human” again.

“I want you to loan me €20,000 to have my left arm amputated and upon my return from Vienna with a valid receipt the HSE will refund you the money in 30 days,” was his opening line to the loan manager.

A further €100,000 was needed for Tara — Thought Activated Robotic Arm — which he had fitted in Austria.

Mr MacAogain is one of thousands across the EU using this scheme where patients pay upfront for approved treatment in another member country and have this reimbursed at home.

Now 62, he was an avid biker in 2008 when a head-on collision in France led to months in hospitals there and in Dublin. As well as many broken bones and permanent damage to one lung, the then-electrician developed ‘flail arm’ leaving him in great pain.

“I ran my business for another eight years, employing people to do my work while I had to step back and come to terms with my disability,” he said. “My mental health also suffered from this.” 

He came across Professor Oskar Aszmann and his team by chance.

“(They) proved I had use of two muscles that would be of use in driving an intelligent prosthetics and sent me back home with a letter to the HSE stating what they could do for me,” he said.

Finance was a huge obstacle for the father of three and he said: “I would never have been able to afford to go through with the process.” 

However Catherine Donohoe, HSE national control point for the Cross Border Health Directive, reassured him these procedures were eligible for funding.

Catherine Donohoe said: 'There is no ceiling, there is no capacity to put a ceiling on it, there is no capacity to make people wait and there is no capacity to limit the funding.' Photo: Barry Cronin

“No doubt (the loan manager) looked at me as if I was some kind of lunatic but I gave him all the relevant documents and told him to contact Catherine,” he said.

He now works as a social care worker in Wexford and Waterford. 

“Don’t get me wrong, it will never give me the full function and dexterity of a human hand, but it sure makes me feel half human,” he said.

Ms Donohoe said last year 1,762 reimbursements were approved, coming to just over €9m. The numbers are “significantly increasing”, she said.

“There is no ceiling, there is no capacity to put a ceiling on it, there is no capacity to make people wait and there is no capacity to limit the funding,” she said.

Once you’ve established legal right and follow the rules, you are entitled to be reimbursed.

She added: “We don’t require patients to be waiting (a set time), you can get your GP referral today and be gone tomorrow.” 

A separate scheme, HSE Northern Ireland Planned Healthcare Scheme, was set up after Brexit. This saw 4,622 treatments reimbursed for €15.6m.