Tuesday, 19 May 2026

Primary Care Services

Questions (1024)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1024. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE has conducted any assessment of the financial or operational impact of rejected pharmacy claims on independent community pharmacies. [36744/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Primary Care Services

Questions (1025)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1025. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any national targets or key performance indicators exist to reduce the proportion of rejected or unpaid pharmacy claims attributable to administrative or submission errors. [36745/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Primary Care Services

Questions (1026)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1026. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE has considered introducing additional automated pre-submission validation systems to reduce pharmacy claim rejection rates. [36746/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Departmental Data

Questions (1027)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1027. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the proportion of rejected pharmacy claims subsequently resubmitted successfully as corrected reclaims in each year from 2020 to 2026. [36747/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is an operational matter, it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Primary Care Services

Questions (1028)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1028. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any review has been undertaken into whether pharmacy software compatibility issues contribute disproportionately to rejected or unpaid claims. [36748/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Under the Health Act 2004, the day-to-day operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health services is a matter for the HSE. This query has therefore been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.

Primary Care Services

Questions (1029)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1029. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the financial impact on annual PCRS expenditure arising from the 2022 steri-neb salamol price uplift. [36753/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Medicinal Products

Questions (1030)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1030. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the rationale and assessment process underpinning the 2022 reimbursement price uplift granted to Steri-neb Salamol 2.5mg/2.5ml. [36754/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Medicinal Products

Questions (1031)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1031. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any cost-effectiveness, inflationary, supply-chain or market-availability assessment was undertaken prior to the Steri-neb Salamol price uplift. [36755/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Medicinal Products

Questions (1032)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1032. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health how many medicinal products received reimbursement price uplifts under PCRS arrangements in each year from 2020 to 2026. [36756/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Departmental Data

Questions (1033)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1033. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the estimated additional annual expenditure arising from reference pricing adjustments which increased reimbursement rates rather than reduced them. [36757/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Departmental Expenditure

Questions (1034)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1034. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Department or HSE publishes any annual review of reimbursement price uplifts and their impact on medicines expenditure. [36758/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Departmental Data

Questions (1035)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1035. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether pharmacies or representative bodies are formally consulted before reimbursement rule changes or reference pricing adjustments are introduced. [36759/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Departmental Expenditure

Questions (1036)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1036. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total expenditure by each individual hospital and hospital group on private ambulance services in each year from 2020 to date in 2026, in tabular form. [36778/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Ambulance Service

Questions (1037, 1039, 1042, 1044)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1037. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any national procurement framework exists governing the engagement of private ambulance providers by HSE-funded hospitals. [36779/26]

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Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1039. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department or the HSE maintains any register of private ambulance providers engaged by publicly funded hospitals. [36781/26]

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Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1042. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any review has been undertaken into regional variation in the use of private ambulance providers by hospitals or hospital groups. [36784/26]

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Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1044. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any national policy exists governing when hospitals should utilise private ambulance providers instead of National Ambulance Service resources. [36786/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1037, 1039, 1042 and 1044 together.

As these are service matters I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Ambulance Service

Questions (1038)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1038. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether all private ambulance providers contracted by HSE-funded hospitals are required to meet specified national clinical governance and patient safety standards. [36780/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Question No. 1039 answered with Question No. 1037.

Ambulance Service

Questions (1040)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1040. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any assessment has been carried out regarding the impact of reliance on private ambulance services on continuity of care, patient safety, or response times. [36782/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Ambulance Service

Questions (1041)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1041. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of additional National Ambulance Service intermediate care staff and vehicles projected to be required nationally to eliminate reliance on private ambulance providers. [36783/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Question No. 1042 answered with Question No. 1037.

Ambulance Service

Questions (1043)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1043. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any private ambulance providers currently engaged by HSE-funded hospitals also provide services under other HSE contracts or public procurement arrangements. [36785/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.