Access to medical cards for those with a terminal illness is a welcome step in the right direction, says the Irish Cancer Society

Access to medical cards for those with a terminal illness is a welcome step in the right direction to help ease the financial burden for many cancer patients, the Irish Cancer Society has said.
 
As Cabinet approved a proposal to extend access to medical cards to those with a terminal illness and prognosis of up 24 months, Director of Advocacy, Rachel Morrogh said:
 
“A diagnosis of terminal cancer is a devastating one for anybody to hear and for those patients the absolute last thing on their mind should be worries about medication costs, GP fees and inpatient charges at hospitals.
 
“Extending medical card access to these patients will mean that now they won’t have to worry about these things on top of everything else such a diagnosis brings for patients and their loves ones.
 
“Patient advocates like John Wall have worked tirelessly on this issue and we are all indebted to their commitment and persistence.
 
“But patients with terminal illness should never have to fight for access to services that are taken for granted in other countries.  Expensive charges are a feature of our public health system, and more needs to be done to ensure all cancer patients are better supported financially."