Debt threat for cancer patients

Local councillor Owen Hanley (Soc Dem) said the burden of hospital bills – in addition to other costs such as hospital parking – were creating unnecessary stress for people who were already suffering.

“If you do not have a medical card or private health insurance, every chemotherapy or radiotherapy appointment costs €80, to a maximum of €800 per annum.

“Invoices are often sent out to patients within days of their first treatment being administered and if they are not paid within six weeks, debt collection agencies are hired to pursue the debt.

He said the Social Democrats had put down a motion in the Dáil to see the €80 fee scrapped, adding that nobody should be faced with additional financial strain at a time when they are likely to already be suffering a loss of income due to illness.

“Cancer patients should be focused on just one thing – getting better. Regrettably, this is not helped by the huge financial stress caused by a diagnosis.

“A 2019 report from the Irish Cancer Society conservatively estimated this additional cost was €756 per month – in some cases, it is more than €1,000 per month,” said the City East councillor, adding that with the cost of living increasing, this was likely to risen to €1,500 in the last three years.

The Government had failed to act, said Cllr Hanley and with concern among clinicians about delayed cancer diagnosis as a result of Covid-19 restrictions on screening, action was required without delay.

“As well as inpatient fees, costs include car parking, medication, counselling and additional childcare and heating costs. Hospital parking charges are an expense that the Government could act on now, but it has failed to do so,” he said.

Among the measures included in the Social Democrats’ motion is ditching the €80 inpatient charge for cancer patients; for debt collection agencies to no longer be used by public hospitals; and for the Government to follow through in its commitment in the Programme for Government to introduce caps on hospital parking charges.

“The purpose of the health service is to assist cancer patients in whatever way it can. It should not be adding to their trauma through its use of aggressive debt collection tactics. The Government has the power to immediately act to reduce a portion of the huge financial burden that cancer patients face.

“There can be no further excuses for inaction,” said Cllr Hanley.