Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2026
1011. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if she will examine the financial burden placed on working families who do not qualify for a medical card but who face essential, lifelong medical costs such as CPAP rental and associated medication, particularly where the cost of supporting children in third-level education further reduces disposable income (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14611/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS) ensures that expenditure on approved prescribed medicines or medical appliances does not exceed a named threshold in any calendar month. The DPS is not means tested and is available to anyone ordinarily resident in Ireland.
Currently, the DPS threshold is €80, so no individual or family pays more than that a month on approved prescribed medicines or medical appliances. The DPS significantly reduces the cost burden for people with ongoing expenditure on medicines.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) has electronic claiming processes in place which enable pharmacies to submit claims in relation to services provided to patients whose family monthly medicines requirements exceed the DPS monthly threshold (currently €80).
In such circumstances the family pays the first €80 of the claim and the pharmacy submits the entire DPS record to the HSE at month end and the HSE pays the balance of the claim to the pharmacy based on the prices approved for medicines on the list of reimbursable items and the fees set out in legislation. DPS refund applications do not arise in such circumstances.
Patients registered under the DPS can apply for a refund where they opted to use more than one pharmacy to supply their family medicines needs or where they received items from their community pharmacy and other approved services provided by a supplier other than a community pharmacy (e.g. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or Oxygen treatment), and have paid in excess of the DPS threshold.
The HSE is committed to continuously improving its services and recognises that the provision of digital services offers significant advantages both for patients and the HSE. The HSE is developing an easy-to-use online refund application with upload capabilities to support the delivery of refunds by electronic fund transfer.
