New prescription charge comes into effect

The new levy in Ireland, which applies to dental prescriptions under the dental treatment scheme, will see patients paying a 50 cent per item fee.

This is subject to a cap of €10 per month per individual or family.

Darragh O’Loughlin, president of the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU), has criticised the HSE for its failure to communicate to the public about the introduction of the new 50 cent levy.

He said: ‘This levy has faded from the public consciousness since it was first announced in last year’s Budget. The HSE has not run an adequate public information campaign to ensure that medical card patients would be alerted to the imposition of this charge, something which we believe should have happened long before now.’

Pharmacists are obliged by law to collect the levy.

The measure, announced in last year’s Budget, is expected to raise an extra €24 million a year.

For further information, visit www.medicalcard.ie or www.hse.ie or call the HSE Infoline at 1850 24 1850, which is avalable Monday to Saturday from 8am to 8pm.