Michael Ring, T.D. has called on the Government to implement measures announced in the Budget 2020 to reduce the cost of medicines.
As part of Budget 2020, the previous Government announced two measures intended to reduce the cost of medicines including the reduction of GMS prescription charges for all medical card holders.
The charge was to be reduced by €0.50c to €1 per item for the over 70s and by €0.50c to €1.50 for persons under 70. The maximum monthly charge was also to be reduced to €10 and €15 respectively.
The monthly threshold of €124 for the Drug Payment Scheme (DPS ) was to be reduced by €10 to €114 per household.
Deputy Ring queried Minister Donnelly on those changes and why they have not been implemented. He has now been informed that as they did not achieve savings in the health budget in 2020, they are not in a position at present to progress the changes to prescription charges.
Deputy Ring continued, “This is simply not acceptable. The reduction in the costs of medicines was announced as part of the Budget 2020 and the measures should be implemented straight away.”
