Authorities to appeal transplant patient's award
The health authorities will be appealing a court ruling which awarded a kidney transplant patient around €74,000 in damages, after establishing that his life-saving surgery should have been paid for by the government.
The man, Daniel Cassar, had to fork out the money for a life-saving operation at Pisa's Cisanello Hospital after the local authorities refused to pay for him.
Asked by The Times whether there were plans to change the procedures determining when a patient's treatment abroad should be paid for by the government, a Health Ministry spokesman said no further information could be released since the Health Department had decided to file an appeal.
Mr Cassar, in his mid-30s, needed simultaneous pancreatic and living donor kidney transplantation after his health deteriorated due to diabetes.
Since the surgery was not offered in Malta, he applied to the director of institutional health to authorise his free treatment in Italy. But the request was turned down and he was told that the procedure did not fall under the publicly-funded health care services package offered by the Maltese social security service.
On Thursday, Mr Justice Ray Pace ruled that as a person entitled to free medical treatment in Malta, Mr Cassar was also entitled to the treatment he sought. He said the fact that the treatment was not available locally did not mean that the patient was not entitled to it elsewhere.
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C Falzon
Nov 30th 2008, 09:45
I don't think there is any question whether Mr Cassar had the right to be treated abroad for free. What needs to be done is some system whereby treatment is done at a hospital/clinic approved by the government.
However it seems that in this case the government just said no. What I think it should have done is to find a suitable hospital abroad, which apart from being of the necessary standard would also be cost effective.
It seems like Mr Cassar had no option but to find a hospital himself and then claim compensation afterwards.
Whether the amount claimed is reasonable or whether it could have been done for much les I have no clue, but if it could have been done for less it is only the gvoernment's fault that it did not send him to such a place at lower cost.
lgalea
Nov 29th 2008, 21:20
c.camilleri
Shame on you Camilleri.
Pray God that you will never need to do what Daniel Cassar had to do.
Andrew Cassar
Nov 29th 2008, 17:56
@c.camilleri
So the life of a 20-something year old is not worth Euro74,000 of our taxes in your opinion? How insensitive of you. The government spends millions and millions on luxury cars, beautiful round-abouts, nicely restored heritage buildings.....all are a must....but saving a young life would take precedence. Even the same health department, it spends millions on prolonging the life of 80 and 90 yr olds......it's only logical that one should choose where to spend our money. Unfortunately it seems that it is people like you who are making these illogical decisions!!
c.camilleri
Nov 29th 2008, 16:02
@Stephen Foster.
You have to remember that we as taxpayers have to pay the bills. So please do not grumble if taxes are raised to pay patients for going abroad.
Stephen Forster
Nov 29th 2008, 12:12
So without knowing all the facts, but by reading the reports on this topic....
Basically the Health Department is stating his life was/is not worth 74,000 Euro of treatment unavailable in Malta?
Thanks for the heads-up.......