Additions to list of free medicines, benefit improvements announced

The medical conditions which make patients eligible for free medicines will almost double in terms of legal amendments which come into force tomorrow.

The amendments also provide that a community work scheme which to date only applied to long-term unemployed, will now be extended to all registered unemployed.

There are also amendments to improve the pension rights of those who take early retirement.

Speaking at a press conference this morning, Health Minister Joe Cassar and Dr Chris Said, Minister for social services, said the conditions eligible for free medicines under Schedule Five (popularly known as il-karta s-safra) will grow from 38 to 79. They will include dementia, chronic disease of the liver and kidneys, diseases of the digestive system, the respiratory system, the heart, skin and eyes as well as some conditions where the patients were previously means tested, such as diabetes.

COMMUNITY WORK SCHEME

Dr Said explained that the Community Work Scheme for the long term unemployed is being gradually extended to all those registering for work.

People on the unemployment register may be asked to work for 30 hours per week in NGOs or local councils and be paid up to 75% of the minimum wage by the government, while continuing to register for work and receiving unemployment benefit.

Dr Said said this scheme had proved to be effective in clamping down on abuse by those who worked illegally but registered for work.

PENSION BENEFITS AND FAMILY-FRIENDLY MEASURES

Dr Said said that in terms of changes to the Social Security Act, those who worked reduced hours under family-friendly hours would have their pay allowances calculated for pension purposes, something which was not the case to date.

Such people would be required to apply to the director of the Employment Relations Director.

EARLY RETIREMENT SCHEMES

Those workers who took early retirement schemes in enterprises where the government had a controlling interest would have their pension calculated on the best three years of their last 10 years in employment. The scheme applies for those born before 1962.

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Another amendment will see fees levied for those residing in government-run homes for the disabled deducted automatically from their social benefits, mirroring a scheme already in place for the elderly. People with disabilities living at a home together with their spouse will now receive 60 per cent of a resident’s pension.

INVALIDITY PENSION

The minister said that efforts since 2007 to crack down on abuse of invalidity pension had borne fruit. Under legislation approved a few years ago, a declaration of invalidity is not permanent and is reviewed periodically.

The minister said that a multi-disciplinary board was being set up to determine the applicants’ psycho-social and mental capacity to work.

He said that since 2007, the number of people on invalidity pension had been reduced from 9,100 to 5,800, saving the government €10 million.

RELIGIOUS ORDERS

The minister also announced that those who left religious orders and found that their Order had not been up to date in the payment of their National Insurance contributions could now make their contributions for all the years, at the applicable rates. That facility had to date only existed for the previous five years.

Conditions eligible for free medicines

List of current Schedule V chronic conditions

List of amended Schedule V chronic conditions

1. Malignant Diseases

2. Cardiovascular Diseases:

(a) congestive cardiac failure

(b) persistent hypertension with a diastolic reading above 110 if left untreated

3. Respiratory Diseases:

(a) chronic respiratory failure

(b) chronic asthma

4. Collagen Disease:

(a) chronic rheumatoid arthritis

(b) systemic Lupus Erythematosus

(d) dermatomyositis

(e) polyarteritis nodosa

5. Endocrine:

(a) Addison’s Disease

(b) hypopituitarism including Diabetes Insipidus

(d) endometriosis

6. Renal:

(a) nephrotic syndrome

(b) chronic renal failure

7. Digestive system:

(a) chronic peptic ulcer

(b) coeliac disease and idiopathic stearorrhea

8. Disease of the liver:

(a) hepatic cirrhosis associated with ascites or neurological symptoms

(b) Wilson’s Disease

9. Diseases of the Central Nervous System:

(a) epilepsy

(b) incapacitating Parkinson’s Disease

(d) multiple sclerosis

(e) motor neurone disease

(f) Trigeminal Neuralgia

10. Schizophrenia

11. Haemophilia

12. Paget’s Disease:

(a) generalised Paget’s Disease showing activity as manifested by an alkaline

phosphatase level of not less than 100 King Armstrong Units

(b) spinal Paget’s Disease producing neurological symptoms

13. Glaucoma

14. Extensive Psoriasis

15. Huntington’s Chorea

16. Auto-Immune Enteropathy

17. H.I.V positive

18. Congenital indifference to pain

1. Malignant Diseases

2. Cardiovascular Diseases:

(a) Chronic Heart Failure

(b) Hypertension

(d) Cardiac Arrhythmias

(e) Peripheral Vascular Disease

(f) Cerebrovascular disease

(g) Genetic Dyslipidaemia

3. Respiratory Diseases:

(a) Chronic Respiratory Failure

(b) Cystic Fibrosis

(d) Chronic Asthma

4. Digestive system diseases:

(a) Gastro – Oesophageal Reflux Disease

(b) Gastric/Duodenal Ulcers

(d) Coeliac Disease

(e) Diverticular Disease requiring Stoma Care

(f) Hirschprung’s Disease

(g) Imperforate Anus

(h) Small Intestinal Failure

5. Liver diseases:

(a) Chronic Liver Disease

6. Haematological Diseases:

(a) Inherited Bleeding Disorders

(b) Inherited Haemoglobinopathies

7. Nervous System Diseases:

(a) Epilepsy

(b) Parkinson’s disease

(d) Multiple Sclerosis

(e) Motor Neurone Disease

(f) Trigeminal Neuralgia

(g) Huntington’s Chorea

(h) Dementia

(i) Schizophrenia

(j) Psychosis

(k) Chronic Mood Disorders

(l) Chronic Neurotic Disorders

(m) Addiction Disorders

(n) Chronic Psychiatric Disorders starting in Childhood

(o) Chronic Eating Disorders

(p) Cerebral Palsy

(q) Narcolepsy

(r) Spinal Cord Pathologies

(s) Congenital indifference to pain

8. Renal diseases:

(a) Chronic Kidney Disease

9. Endocrine diseases:

(a) Diabetes Mellitus

(b) Addison’s Disease

(d) Hypoparathyroidism

(e) Hypopituitarism

(f) Hypogonadism

(g) Enzyme Disorders

(h) Endometriosis and Adenomyosis

(i) Pituitary Adenomas

10. Skin diseases:

(a) Psoriasis

(b) Chronic Immunobullous Disorders

11. Infectious Diseases:

(a) HIV/AIDS and HIV Related Diseases

(b) Hepatitis B & C

(d) Hospital Acquired Infections

(e) Leprosy

(f) Polio and Post-Polio Syndrome

(g) Chronic Osteomyelitis

12. Rheumatic Diseases:

(a) Rheumatoid Arthritis

(b) Paget’s Disease

(d) Systemic Sclerosis

(e) Dermatomyositis/Polymyositis

(f) Polyartritis Nodosa

(g) Seronegative Arthritis

(h) Crystal Deposition Disease

(i) Polymyalgia Rheumatica

13. Metabolic Disorders

(a) Inborn errors of Metabolism

14. Eye diseases:

(a) Glaucoma

(b) Vascular Disease of the Retina

15. Immunodeficiency:

(a) Primary Immunodeficiency Disorder

(b) Secondary Immunodeficiency Disorder

16. Chromosome Disorders:

(a) Down Syndrome

(b) Turner Syndrome

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