HARNEY URGED TO REVIEW PLAN TO CENTRALISE PROCESSING OF MEDICAL CARD CLAIMS
Issued : Saturday 5 September, 2009
Areas : Waterford
Labour Party Councillor and Regional Health Forum member Seamus Ryan has called on the HSE
to review the plan to centralise the processing of all applications for medical
cards at one location in Dublin. Labour Party Councillor and Regional Health Forum member Seamus Ryan has called on the HSE
“The centralisation of applications for the over-70s card has already gone ahead and has led to
major problems, but now it appears that the HSE is intent on transferring the processing of all applications on a phased basis
over the coming months. “The plan has now led to the threat of strike action by members of Impact who are deeply concerned
about the implications of the plan. Clearly if strike action were to go ahead, it would lead to major disruption in the processing of applications.
“I have received many complaints from applicants over 70 regarding delays in processing claims and the infrastructure does not appear to have been put in place to deal with the volume of applications. It was reported that over 80,000 phone queries were
received by the central office in the first three months of this year and this is likely to increase significantly if all applications are transferred.
“But apart from management issues, what is of even greater concern is that transferring the applications to one impersonal, remote location will spell an end to the flexibility and humanity that has always been a feature of the medical card
system.
“There is not an exact cut-off point for qualification and the guidelines have always been used as just that, guidelines which allow for those who have a genuine medical or hardship case to make to be provided for.
This will be gone in the new system.
“I also understand that the central office uses mainly agency staff and that the expertise and understanding built up over the years by staff who have dealt with medical card clients will be lost.
“Many medical card holders were severely inconvenienced by the recent dispute between the Minister for Health and the pharmacists. The last thing the health service needs at this time is another dispute.
“I am calling on the Minister for Health and Children, Mary Harney, and the HSE to re-think this plan. As with so much of the changes in the Healthcare Service, this is focused on balancing the books, not on the needs of patients.”
Cllr 
