Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:463. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of reducing the DPS threshold to €50 and €100, respectively. [28817/24]
View answerThursday, 4 July 2024
Questions (463)
Written answers
The Drug Payment Scheme (DPS) provides for the refund of the amount by which expenditure on approved prescribed medicines or medical and surgical appliances exceeds a named threshold in any calendar month. The DPS is not means tested and is available to anyone ordinarily resident in Ireland.
The DPS threshold was reduced twice in 2022:
• From €114 to €100 per month on 1 January 2022.
• From €100 to €80 per month on 1 March 2022.
Therefore, currently, under the DPS, no individual pays more than €80 a month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The estimated full year cost of reducing the DPS threshold to €50 is €66m. The estimated full year cost of reducing the DPS threshold to €10 is €200m. These costings do not take account of demographic changes, changes in eligibility (e.g., loss of medical cards), or how the reductions in the DPS threshold may impact claimant behaviour.