S.I. No. 37/1994:

HEALTH (OUT-PATIENT CHARGES) REGULATIONS, 1994.

HEALTH (OUT-PATIENT CHARGES) REGULATIONS, 1994.

The Minister for Health in exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 5 of the Health Act, 1947 (No. 28 of 1947) and section 56 (5) of the Health Act, 1970 (No. 1 of 1970) as substituted by section 1 of the Health (Amendment) Act, 1987 (No. 3 of 1987) with the consent of the Minister for Finance hereby makes the following regulations:

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Health (Out-Patient Charges) Regulations, 1994.

2. In these Regulations:--

"the Act" means the Health Act, 1970 ;

"the Minister" means the Minister for Health;

"out-patient services" means services as defined in section 56 (1) of the Act.

3. These Regulations shall come into operation on the 1st day of March, 1994.

4. (1) A charge shall be made for out-patient services provided under subsection (2) of section 56 of the Act at a designated accident and emergency or casualty department for persons other than:

( a ) persons with full eligibility;

( b ) women receiving services in respect of motherhood;

( c ) children up to the age of six weeks;

( d ) children suffering from diseases or disabilities prescribed under section 56 (3) of the Act;

( e ) children in respect of defects noticed at a health examination held pursuant to the service provided under section 66 of the Act;

( f ) persons receiving services for the diagnosis or treatment of infectious diseases prescribed under Part IV of the Health Act, 1947 ;

( g ) persons undergoing tests for the purpose of ascertaining the presence of a disease, defect or condition that may be prescribed under section 70 of the Act;

( h ) persons who are deemed, pursuant to section 45 (7) of the Act, to be persons with full eligibility in relation to an out-patient service;

( i ) persons who have a letter of referral from a registered medical practitioner;

( j ) persons whose attendance results in admission as an in-patient.

(2) The charge under article 4 (1) shall be £12 in respect of the first visit for any episode of care.

5. The Health (Out-Patient Charges) Regulations, 1987 ( S.I. No. 115 of 1987 (as amended by article 2 of the Health (Out-Patient Charges) (Amendment) Regulations, 1993 ( S.I. No. 51 of 1993 )) are hereby revoked.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Health, this 28th

day of February 1994.

BRENDAN HOWLIN,

Minister for Health.

The Minister for Finance consents to these regulations.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Finance, this 28th

day of February 1994.

BERTIE AHERN,

Minister for Finance.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations provide that instead of the £6 charge for out-patient services introduced in March 1993 a charge of £12 shall be introduced from 1 March 1994 in respect of attendance at accident and emergency or casualty departments where the person concerned has not been referred by a medical practitioner. The charge shall not apply where such an attendance results in hospital admission. The usual exemptions and hardship provision shall continue to apply.