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Need advice on medical cards etc.

  • 24-04-2015 11:41am
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17


    My doctors are pretty sure I have Crohn's disease, which is long term illness and is currently incurable. I have to go for more tests in a few weeks and if it's confirmed, they want to start me on a medication called Remicade. This is administered intravenously in the hospital every 4-8 weeks, and from what I've read about it, it can cost €1,000-3,000 per dose. Plus hospital visits, plus antibiotic and painkiller prescriptions, I'm looking at this costing me thousands of euro per year for the foreseeable future.

    I left my job in December (I was getting severe stomach pains that made it difficult to work. At the time I put it down to stress but the doctors have said that Crohn's actually could have been a major contributing factor) and am currently on JB, but that'll be finishing up in the next month or so and I'll be going on JA. I don't currently have a medical card but I've applied for one and I'll probably get it, so I'm not too concerned about that for the moment. What I'm really worried about is how I'm going to pay for this when I get back to work.

    Most of the jobs I've been applying for pay minimum wage or not a whole lot more, and private health insurance companies have a five year waiting period before they'll cover pre-existing conditions. If I get a full time job, paying for this out of pocket would eat up more than a quarter of what I'd earn in a year, at the very least. I'm 22 and I currently live with my aunt, who was my guardian, but I'd been hoping I'd be able to move out once I get back to work. Is it likely that I'd be able to keep a medical card by claiming undue hardship? Crohn's isn't covered under the Long Term Illness Scheme, but I'm thinking I might be able to get everything under the Drugs Payment Scheme if I can't get a medical card?

    I'm really worried about this, any help would be appreciated.


Comments

  • Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Regional South Moderators Posts: 6,854 Mod ✭✭✭✭mp22


    You should be able to keep your card,but you would need to contact the HSE and talk to then about the situation before you accept a job offer.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,862 ✭✭✭Cushie Butterfield


    Cygil wrote: »

    I'm really worried about this, any help would be appreciated.
    You may be worrying unnecessarily. Just because Crohn's isn't covered under the Long Term Illness Scheme, & even if you lose your medical card this doesn't automatically mean that you'll end up having to pay thousands for the Remicade infusions. If you are attending a public hospital outpatient clinic as a public patient (& judging by your post this is what you are already doing) the treatment should be provided at no cost to you, so you'd only be facing the expense of the prescriptions for antibiotics and painkillers. Obviouly if you were attending as a private patient & without private medical health insurance cover you'd be facing bills closer to the amounts that you refer to in your post (possibly more, allowing for consultant fees, blood tests, scans etc).

    Even if you were covered by private medical insurance the chances are that you'd end up out of pocket a lot more than if you attend as a public patient, as very few policies cover 100% of your consultant fees & even if they do there would be some sort of excess to be paid by you & possibly some of the necessary tests mightn't be covered or fully covered etc. As a public patient your consultant fees & tests are all covered, & the only major ongoing hospital expenses that you'd be facing would be in the event that you have to be admitted overnight or as a day case (€75 govt levy per night capped at €750 per year)

    If you do lose the medical card you should apply for a Drugs Payment Scheme Card, which means that the most you'd have to pay for prescribed medications would be €144 per month. Just make sure that you use the same pharmacy all the time - by doing this it's all automatic & the pharmacy keeps track of your monthly spend & won't charge you any more than €144 per month. See here: http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/schemes/drugspaymentscheme/

    Speak to your GP or hospital doctors to alleviate your concerns about cost of treatment.


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