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Medical Card Patient Discrimination

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  • 22-11-2022 5:05pm
    #1
    locust323
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭


    Hello.

    I have Blind pension, I have had a kidney and pancreas transplant. I am at risk of infection and I am having trouble finding a dentist to remove my tooth. No one wants to accept me on the Medical Card, but privately they can at any time or they give a date for next year. Is the pain to wait until then or infection? I checked many places in the area (Co. Limerick) and Limerick City. What is the person with the Medical Card to do in this case? Where can I go? Now I can't afford to spend 150-200-300 euros to remove a sore tooth. Please help me in this situation and give me a solution what should I do.

    Kind Regards

    Post edited by Spear on
    Tagged:


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    #2
    Spear
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Help & Feedback Category Moderators Posts: 25,098 CMod ✭✭✭✭Spear


    Moved to a forum that's related to the topic instead.



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    #3
    iamwhoiam
    Registered Users Posts: 16,089 ✭✭✭✭iamwhoiam


    Have you tried speaking to a dentist and maybe arranging payment over time ? Maybe he will take weekly payments or something that suits you at the moment . Also could you speak to a welfare officer for an emergency payment

    Or phone your local TD and ask for help from his office



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    #4
    Dav010
    Registered Users Posts: 14,073 ✭✭✭✭Dav010


    Op, you can contact your local HSE dental clinic, they have primary responsibility for providing dental care to patients eligible for a medical card.

    https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/lho/limerick/dental-and-orthodontic-services/

    Most private clinics do not participate in the medical card dental scheme so would not receive payment for your treatment. Those that do participate are so overwhelmed that they have had to close their patient lists to new patients.



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    #5
    Dempo1
    Registered Users Posts: 26,933 ✭✭✭✭Dempo1


    Just seeing this OP ,I genuinely sympathise but there's been a dispute going on between the Irish Debtists association & HSE for years now, do not count on any assistance from the HSE , they'll refer you to Dentists that are NOT treating or taking on Medical card patients.

    You also have additional Medical challenges which complicates matters. If you were living in Dublin you could attend the Dental Hospital, not sure if there's any options in Limerick.

    You might get more attention to your plight if whomever is helping you Tweets @IrishDentists and or any associations you might be linked to.

    Is maith an scáthán súil charad.




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    #6
    Dav010
    Registered Users Posts: 14,073 ✭✭✭✭Dav010


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119927322#Comment_119927322

    What dispute are you referring to?

    Post edited by Dav010 on


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    #7
    Dempo1
    Registered Users Posts: 26,933 ✭✭✭✭Dempo1


    The dispute between Dentists & the HSE which has been going on since 2019 . In essence, very few dentists now doing any medical card scheme treatments , definitely not taking on any new MC patients .

    The dispute is over fees they get from the HSE

    Is maith an scáthán súil charad.




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    #8
    Dempo1
    Registered Users Posts: 26,933 ✭✭✭✭Dempo1


    This is just one article but I've personally being highlighting this since 2020 but it started a year before that .

    https://www.thejournal.ie/dentists-medical-card-2-5785725-Jun2022/


    Is maith an scáthán súil charad.




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    #9
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    With your medical history it’s really important to get dental issues sorted asap. I don’t have any serious immune compromise myself but I have found myself very unwell during Covid restrictions due to needing dental attention, even ending up in hospital.

    I use my local Smiles Dental in Dublin, but there’s one in Limerick. Personally I find them satisfactory in price and ability to get appointments, and they have thrown in the odd freebie.

    https://www.smiles.ie/clinic/dentist-in-limerick/

    Don’t know about medical card situation, but they do prsi.



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    #10
    mct1
    Registered Users Posts: 248 ✭✭mct1


    Have you tried this place which apparently accepts medical card patients? There may be waiting time for an appointment of course.

    https://www.no8clinic.ie/dentistry/medical-card-dentist-limerick/

    Also this clinic https://www.morleydental.ie/



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    #11
    MiaMaria
    Registered Users Posts: 70 ✭✭MiaMaria


    This is exactly what the additional needs payment is for , https://www.gov.ie/en/service/4eb45-additional-needs-payment/

    You can get the form posted to you if you call any Citizen Information Center they will also give you details as to where your local office is.



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    #12
    Dav010
    Registered Users Posts: 14,073 ✭✭✭✭Dav010


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119941074#Comment_119941074

    I’m not sure that is correct as medical card dental treatment is a cost responsibility of another Government Department, but worth a try.



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    #13
    MiaMaria
    Registered Users Posts: 70 ✭✭MiaMaria


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119941271#Comment_119941271

    It would be looked on as a case by case , because there are so many dentists withdrawing from the medical card scheme. It would be within the remit of the community welfare officer to grant the payment. As always with any supplementary means tested payment the caveat is 'you may be eligible,.



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