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A young boy with Crohn's disease sitting up in hospital bed (image posed by model) John Birdsall/John Birdsall/Press Association Images

No plans to revise scheme for chronic illness - despite no update since 1970s

A number of chronic diseases are not being covered by the government’s scheme for long term illnesses, including Crohn’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, ulcerative colitis and coronary heart disease – but there are no plans to revise it.

THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH has no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the Long Term Illness Scheme, despite several chronic conditions not being included in the programme.

People who avail of the Long Term Illness Scheme can avail of drugs, medicines and medical and surgical appliances without charge. It was introduced in 1971, under the Health Act 1970 – arising from a non-statutory scheme established a few years earlier to supply free products to people being treated for diabetes.

The scheme is open to people suffering “a prescribed disease or disability of a permanent or long-term nature”, and recognises the following conditions:

  • Mental handicap
  • Mental illness (for people under 16 only)
  • Diabetes insipidus
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Haemophilia
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Phenylketonuria
  • Epilepsy
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Spina bifida
  • Muscular dystrophies
  • Hydrocephalus
  • Parkinsonism
  • Acute leukaemia
  • Conditions arising from use of Thalidomide

However, the scheme has not be updated since 1975, a spokesperson for the Department told TheJournal.ie. Among the conditions not recognised are Crohn’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, ulcerative colitis and coronary heart disease – all of which have seen notable rate increases in the past number of decades.

In 2009, a group of young people suffering from inflammatory bowel disease published a patient manifesto, calling for greater public awareness of their condition and demanding that it be included in the Long Term Illness scheme. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) includes conditions such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis – chronic auto-immune illnesses that affect an estimated 15,000 people in Ireland, and for which there is no known cause or cure.

Both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis have similar symptoms, including abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fever, loss of appetite and weight loss. Suffers face the prospect of surgery or a life-long colostomy bag if their colon becomes too inflamed.

The manifesto demanded that IBD be recognised for the scheme in reflection of the fact that “both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are life-long conditions” and to “help relieve the financial burden on patients”.

Earlier this month, Minister for State Roisin Shorthall announced that the 56,000 people registered under of the scheme would be eligible for free GP care from March 2012, RTÉ reports.

A spokesperson for the Department said that, while there were no plans to extend the list of conditions recognised under the programme, the terms of the scheme “will be reviewed in the context of the Government’s proposals for Universal Health Insurance and free GP care at the point of delivery”.

He added the scheme “pre-dated universal coverage against excessive drug costs” and that it had been “set up to provide protection for conditions considered at that time to be likely to have excessive drug costs, as there was very little other State support or protection against excessive medical costs”.

Currently, the Drugs Payment Scheme is open to non-medical card holders: under this scheme, no individual or family  unit  pays  more than  €120 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines.

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31 Comments
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    Mute Aishling Keogh
    Favourite Aishling Keogh
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    Aug 23rd 2012, 6:26 PM

    RIP,another family’s heartbreak this evening :(

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    Mute Martina Ní Wynner
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    Aug 23rd 2012, 6:06 PM

    RIP

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    Mute Keith Moore
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    Aug 23rd 2012, 6:03 PM

    I hope it’s not James it would be such a waste of a young life.

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    Mute Cian O Donnell
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    Aug 23rd 2012, 7:47 PM

    seriously,how many other bodies are floating around in that river at any one time?

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    Mute Gavin Tracy
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    Aug 23rd 2012, 10:41 PM

    It would be someone else’s waste if life then….

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    Mute Susan Duffy
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    Aug 23rd 2012, 10:49 PM

    I hate to have say this why are people red thumbing that comment?

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    Mute louise
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    Aug 23rd 2012, 6:15 PM

    So sad news, I know body isn’t identified yet, thoughts with family at such a sad time, too young to die

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    Mute Richard Mason
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    Aug 23rd 2012, 7:52 PM

    What are the thumbs down about? I can’t see any contentious statements above!

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    Mute Bernadette Dunne
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    Aug 23rd 2012, 8:51 PM

    Richard just ignore the red thumbs on this story We all try too it is such a sad story for the Family who have to deal with this R.I.P and thought for the family

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    Mute Mark Vieregge
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    Aug 23rd 2012, 7:20 PM

    Oh no… :-/

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    Mute James O Mara
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    Aug 23rd 2012, 9:28 PM

    I hope it not James for hisfamly

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    Mute Laura Hannon
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    Aug 23rd 2012, 7:59 PM

    Thumbs down because any loss of life is sad whatever the age.

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    Mute Richard Mason
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    Aug 23rd 2012, 8:10 PM

    I agree Laura but I thought the idea of the thumbs was to make a statement about the comment. Apologies if I have misunderstood.

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    Mute Cian O Donnell
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    Aug 23rd 2012, 8:42 PM

    you havent mis understood at all,the thumbs system is indeed to indicate ones aggreement/disaggreement with a comment..people will thumbs down anything said on this site,no matter what it is

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    Mute Norma Kealy
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    Aug 23rd 2012, 11:43 PM

    well done to the boyne river rescue….a grim task indeed. my condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

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    Mute kelly whelan
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    Aug 23rd 2012, 9:49 PM

    at least who ever it is has been.found. not in the way any family Will ever hope for but it Will be at least some peace for them. what a heartbreaking time for all concerned. rip.

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    Mute Aisling Doyle
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    Aug 23rd 2012, 9:09 PM

    Dont worry I seen the red thumb record here 1097 so I wouldnt take it personal sometimes with the iPhone or smart (not so Smart) when scrolling down page sometimes ppl hit off it by error I know I for one have .

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    Mute Eileen Gabbett
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    Aug 23rd 2012, 9:51 PM

    R I P . Condolences to the family of the deceased .

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    Mute Tomas Phelan
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    Aug 23rd 2012, 11:43 PM

    RIP to this poor soul, it’s someone’s son, brother etc. May his family gain the strength they will need to get them through the next week. how gives a flying f%@k about red thumbers. They are irrelevant. Trolls will be trolls.

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    Mute kelly whelan
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    Aug 23rd 2012, 9:49 PM

    at least who ever it is has been.found. not in the way any family Will ever hope for but it Will be at least some peace for them. what a heartbreaking time for all concerned. rip.

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    Mute Kay Tighe
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    Aug 24th 2012, 1:27 AM

    Very sad that someone’s son has be taken out of the river

    As for the red thumbs why won’t the journal get rid of this red / green
    Thumbs crap

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    Mute Gavin Tracy
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    Aug 24th 2012, 7:49 AM

    People are saying ” I hope it’s not James” . It’s somebody, and someone’s son!! Whoever it is are facing devastation.. I hope it’s not James just pushes the reality to some other poor family

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    Mute Mick Lennon
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    Aug 24th 2012, 8:56 AM

    am I right that the body found was that poor boy James,tragic,his life taken so young,only making his way in the world god be good to him

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    Mute Don McGuinness
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    Aug 23rd 2012, 11:47 PM

    Why was my comment deleted?

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    Mute Martin St John
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    Nov 26th 2012, 3:29 AM

    Because the journal is like that … Very picky in my opinion and just a tad conservative … It likes to think it’s an important broadsheet , but it’s not really that far removed from most Red-Tops!! Shrude and moronic!!

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