Dublin South West Sinn Féin TD, Seán Crowe, has called on the Minister for Public Expenditure to intervene and ensure that cancer patients, regardless of whether they are terminally ill or not, are not denied medical cards or access to the care and the treatment they require.
Deputy Seán Crowe said:
“In Budget 2013 the government signalled that a further €750 million would be cut from health spending this year, and that medical card entitlements would be targeted.
“Like many other TD’s, my constituency office has been inundated by citizens who bearing the brunt of these cuts.
“Many of these constituents have been diagnosed with cancer related tumours and more difficult to access have enough worries to deal with without the added burden of wondering can they afford medical care.
“Cancer treatment and medication can be expensive and the scenario of a patient not getting access to a doctor, proper medical care and medication because they have insufficient funds is appalling and unacceptable to most people.
“Access to medical card entitlements has been reduced even for those who are desperately trying to make ends meet as a result of the extra taxes the government has introduced.
“I find it particularly reprehensible that cancer patients are now being denied access to medical cards. Preventing seriously ill people from getting the care and treatment they are entitled to is simply shocking and it will be a new low even for this government.
“I am calling on the Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin to intervene to ensure that patients with cancer are not denied medical cards because of your the government cuts agenda.
“These proposed cuts to medical card entitlements are sneaky and mean spirited, and have nothing to do with reform of the health care services.
“They are a direct attack on cancer sufferers and their families.
“It is becoming more apparent that Fine Gael and Labour’s record in office has been marked by making health care unaffordable and inaccessible for the sick, the elderly and the vulnerable.
“Changes in medical card entitlements in effect mean it is getting nearly impossible to get a discretionary medical card on medical grounds and the buck for this stops squarely with the government’s cuts agenda.”
ENDS