Cancer sufferers no longer receiving medical cards unless deemed terminal

Ave Sodalis · 11-07-2013 11:37PM #1

It seems that cancer suffers are no longer entitled to a discretionary medical card unless their illness is deemed terminal by a doctor.

Health Minister James Reilly has confirmed the applications and renewals for these cards now face new scrutiny and national eligibility criteria is being applied for the first time.

http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/health/no-medical-cards-for-cancer-victims-unless-terminally-ill-29411902.html

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/non-terminal-cancer-patients-may-lose-medical-cards-236523.html

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/cancer-patients-will-no-longer-automatically-qualify-for-medical-cards-600188.html

Now, I don't know about you guys, but I think this is another terrible decision made by this government. It was my understanding that, if left, cancer can become terminal. So basically, if you can't afford to get your own cancer care, you could wait until you're terminal, although usually in these cases, you're too far gone to be treated.
I weep for this country sometimes...

SV · 11-07-2013 11:40PM

"not terminal? wait until it is, then we'll try and treat you"

what an absolute shambles of a decision.

lonestargirl · 11-07-2013 11:42PM

For non-medical card holders the cost of public care is: €750 a year for hospital admissions + up to €144 a month for medication. That's what your treatment would cost you.

charlietheminxx · 11-07-2013 11:43PM

Words fail me

Wacker The Attacker · 11-07-2013 11:43PM

Some people in this country need to take a very long and hard look at themselves in he mirror and not just the politicians.

Some people deem it necessary to ignore these problems until it affects them

SV · 11-07-2013 11:44PM

lonestargirl wrote: »

For non-medical card holders the cost of public care is: €750 a year for hospital admissions + up to €144 a month for medication. That's what your treatment would cost you.

Which makes this decision even more disgraceful.

That amount is a drop in the ocean for the government, but to a single person that can be a crippling amount of money and close to impossible to afford.

SureYWouldntYa · 11-07-2013 11:44PM

stay classy James Reilly, stay classy

Mrs Garth Brooks · 11-07-2013 11:45PM

Why are the banks more important than people with cancer? Christ

miller50841 · 11-07-2013 11:48PM

Funny when the likes of a drug addict is handed everything you or me did not force them into that life or force them to stick that needle in them.

I really do hate this country and it's backwards ways.

I do believe in means testing for certain stuff but cancer I actually am steaming here I lost my mother and she received no help at all and this was back in 2002 and worked all her life and my dad worked all his till 65.

I remember her been left out on a trolley in A&E as there were no beds so she had the joy of sharing with the screaming drunks.
There was no help for us whatsoever.

Ave Sodalis · 11-07-2013 11:48PM

Considering we have the second highest cancer rate in the world after Denmark, this should, quite successfully, wipe out a far too high percentage of the population.

But sure, who cares, as long as the corrupt bankers and bondholders get their money :rolleyes:

1ZRed · 11-07-2013 11:49PM

Ffs things are bad when you can't even afford to have cancer

Janedoe10 · 11-07-2013 11:53PM

lonestargirl wrote: »

For non-medical card holders the cost of public care is: €750 a year for hospital admissions + up to €144 a month for medication. That's what your treatment would cost you.

Plus GP costs as well . This swift move by mr Reilly is all part of Universal care . Bull .

JustAThought · 12-07-2013 12:02AM

Janedoe10 wrote: »

Plus GP costs as well . This swift move by mr Reilly is all part of Universal care . Bull .

Sickening.

However if you arrive off the boat, have never contributed or paid a penny in, dont worry if you're illegal you'll be " entitled" to a free medical card .

Un-f-ing believable.

Janedoe10 · 12-07-2013 12:02AM

miller50841 wrote: »

Funny when the likes of a drug addict is handed everything you or me did not force them into that life or force them to stick that needle in them.

I really do hate this country and it's backwards ways.

I do believe in means testing for certain stuff but cancer I actually am steaming here I lost my mother and she received no help at all and this was back in 2002 and worked all her life and my dad worked all his till 65.

I remember her been left out on a trolley in A&E as there were no beds so she had the joy of sharing with the screaming drunks.
There was no help for us whatsoever.

I'm sorry that this has brought up memories of the hard time your mam had and for your family .

I do think as usual these ill thought moves by a so called caring professional ( GP that he is ) smacks of sick .

And why is it not getting more press coverage!

keelanj69 · 12-07-2013 12:06AM

This doesn't bode well for other Long term illness sufferers. I'm currently on expensive medication (thanks everyone) that I'd be gone like a shot without if I lost a medical card because I'm finally under control.

Awful stuff.

Notorious97 · 12-07-2013 12:06AM

Lol this country, never ceases to amaze me!

What do we need to do to get a decent politician who actually cares about ireland and its people?

Where will these mad decisions stop? This is absolutely disgraceful! So basically wait until you are told theres no treatment but heres a medical card for your troubles! Christ almighty

Wattle · 12-07-2013 12:12AM

'Oh it's terminal? Well here you go you won't be costing us much anyway'.

miller50841 · 12-07-2013 12:13AM

There are a lot of Irish that only think about themselves and until something like this happens to them or someone close is the only time they will realize.

The only way the Irish will stand up is if the people on full benefits such as dole, house benfit, medical card and whatever else they receive have a cut because it seems to be that just have kids and your sorted for life once you don't work.

Janedoe10 · 12-07-2013 12:17AM

My first plan of action is email http://www.dohc.ie/about_us/contact/custserv.html
There is a link for o Reilly's mail address as well . I'd suggest we all start doing it so that those ******* don't honestly think that this is ok .

April O Neill · 12-07-2013 12:20AM

This is crap.

My mum was very glad of that a few years ago. She was about as early stage 1 as you can get and it was a non-aggressive cancer, but you still need to get rid of it ASAP!

meoklmrk91 · 12-07-2013 12:21AM

I know that we need to cut costs but targeting the sick and especially those who have cancer is just cruel, don't they have enough to be worrying about than covering the costs of their medical treatment?

Ave Sodalis · 12-07-2013 12:23AM

Janedoe10 wrote: »

My first plan of action is email http://www.dohc.ie/about_us/contact/custserv.html
There is a link for o Reilly's mail address as well . I'd suggest we all start doing it so that those ******* don't honestly think that this is ok .

Since writing my last comment, I've been drafting an email to him.

It's difficult though, to remain composed, when I seriously want to hit him. Refraining from insults is difficult

12-07-2013 12:24AM

But as far as I can see they're still giving medical cards to people below a financial limit, and they're still giving cards to people dying of cancer, they're just reducing the amount of tip-toeing around the word cancer.

I think it would be great to give medical cards to all people with long term/serious illnesses, but if other people with non-terminal serious illnesses aren't getting cards, I can see why the government would take away cards given out to above-financial-threshold non-terminal cancer patients.

I do think cancer patients should get one, but I think that should be part of medical cards given across the board to people with similar illnesses. If the government can't afford that (which is a different issue - better prioritisation could make a huge difference to making that possible) then I can't see why favouritism would be given to one illness just because it has a lot of social stigma about being terminal.

And before I get any stick about not caring about cancer - I do, I've had a lot of it in the family, some who survived and some who didn't, and I'm a female in a long line of breast-cancer-suffering females, so I do get it. I just think that it's worth baring in mind the many other terrible, serious, long-term, non-terminal illnesses that are already in the status that non-terminal cancer is being considered as. Surely if we're going to fight for medical cards for cancer, we shouldn't be ignoring the many other illnesses that have never been deemed medical-card-worthy on the basis of the illness' names alone.

MickFleetwood · 12-07-2013 12:28AM

This makes my blood boil. Fúcking ridiculous stuff. Those who can't afford the care will have to wait until the illness is deemed terminal before they receive any treatment!?

Will simply lead to more unnecessary death and suffering in our society.

Svetti Arss · 12-07-2013 12:28AM

My 9 YO son has cancer. He was very near death by the time he was diagnosed and although he is well into his treatment there is no guarantee he will survive and it will be another 7 years at least before he can be declared cancer free if we are lucky.

We thought we had problems (Financial Etc..) but we were very wrong. Childhood cancer is not the same as adult cancer and its a ****ing nightmare. I have never seen children suffer so much in my life. 21 out of 25 children being treated in St. johns 5 years ago did not make it.

Reilly should take a stroll through St.Johns ward - deafness, blindness, and limbs amputated are not common occurrences but they do happen and these can be caused by the treatment rather then the cancer itself. My sons medical card is due to be renewed in 2 months. Great another ****ing thing to worry about. I am very very grateful for the treatment and care received in CCH but to this government we are just cells on a spreadsheet. They dont give a ****.

Janedoe10 · 12-07-2013 12:32AM

true-or-false wrote: »

But as far as I can see they're still giving medical cards to people below a financial limit, and they're still giving cards to people dying of cancer, they're just reducing the amount of tip-toeing around the word cancer.

I think it would be great to give medical cards to all people with long term/serious illnesses, but if other people with non-terminal serious illnesses aren't getting cards, I can see why the government would take away cards given out to above-financial-threshold non-terminal cancer patients.

I do think cancer patients should get one, but I think that should be part of medical cards given across the board to people with similar illnesses. If the government can't afford that (which is a different issue - better prioritisation could make a huge difference to making that possible) then I can't see why favouritism would be given to one illness just because it has a lot of social stigma about being terminal.

And before I get any stick about not caring about cancer - I do, I've had a lot of it in the family, some who survived and some who didn't, and I'm a female in a long line of breast-cancer-suffering females, so I do get it. I just think that it's worth baring in mind the many other terrible, serious, long-term, non-terminal illnesses that are already in the status that non-terminal cancer is being considered as. Surely if we're going to fight for medical cards for cancer, we shouldn't be ignoring the many other illnesses that have never been deemed medical-card-worthy on the basis of the illness' names alone.

A neighbour here has had her illness benefit cut because she is well . She has MS ! , down 50 a week . A guy in the town here lost his arm in a boating accident , he was denied disability ? He was a plumber , it goes without saying they are appealing .
We all understand about the costs of health care but most of it is due to in efficiencies in the system , poor training , bad management .
It seems the policy now is pick from low hanging branches .

12-07-2013 12:34AM

sup_dude wrote: »

Since writing my last comment, I've been drafting an email to him.

It's difficult though, to remain composed, when I seriously want to hit him. Refraining from insults is difficult

Ive been waiting two and a half years for a reply from him, so dont hold your breath people.

The man is a waste of skin

HurtLocker · 12-07-2013 12:35AM

I am confused. Where are our mighty legislators loving consciences gone?

keelanj69 · 12-07-2013 12:36AM

HurtLocker wrote: »

I am confused. Where are our mighty legislators loving consciences gone?

Are you currently in a womans stomach?

12-07-2013 12:40AM

Janedoe10 wrote: »

A neighbour here has had her illness benefit cut because she is well . She has MS ! , down 50 a week . A guy in the town here lost his arm in a boating accident , he was denied disability ? He was a plumber , it goes without saying they are appealing .
We all understand about the costs of health care but most of it is due to in efficiencies in the system , poor training , bad management .
It seems the policy now is pick from low hanging branches .

Well as I said, looking at the healthcare budget on it's own their decision is somewhat (while ruthless) logical. But if you look at the state budget as a whole, I can't see why they can't prioritise healthcare to at least alleviate people's burden a bit across the board.

How much is the repaving of Grafton St. costing? The transport expenses for TDs? The security expenses for guests of the state (e.g. the Queen of England's visit)? Rather than pushing for cancer patients to keep their medical cards, surely it would be better to completely re-evaluate the treatment of the long-term ill in perspective with non-essential costs of the state?

mb1725 · 12-07-2013 12:49AM

Reilly was the opportunist who made political hay out of the cervical screeening debacle to get himself elected. The Fine Gael manifesto boasted about the importance of early screening but now they don't give a toss about prevention until you are 'terminal'?

Cancer sufferers no longer receiving medical cards unless deemed terminal

Comments