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Updated 2.18pm
AGE ACTION HAS hit out at the Department of Health as it considers an increase in the amount paid by people to stay in long-term nursing home care.
It’s part of an unpublished review of the HSE’s Fair Deal scheme. This scheme allows people to make a contribution towards their nursing home care, after which the State pays the balance.
Details of the financial sustainability of the scheme were questioned last night on RTÉ’s Prime Time. The programme revealed a number of options being considered about putting the scheme on a better financial footing.
Although one option suggested increasing the State’s contribution, most looked at nursing home residents and their relatives contributing more.
Age Action has today branded the proposed changes as “unfair and unjust”.
Spokesperson Eamon Timmins said:
The proposals to increase the level of these charges would add insult to injury and would be opposed by older people and their families
“While the entitlement to a public bed exists in other parts of the health system, the introduction of the NHSS in 2009 extinguished the public bed in a nursing home, so that older people who need round-the-clock nursing care are left with the choice of signing up for the Fair Deal or paying the full fee privately.”
The charity noted that under the current system, someone on the state pension only has €46 per week after charges.
This is what is left to spend on therapies, specialised wheelchairs or equipment, and essentials like soap and shampoo.
The amount of assets such as savings and properties that currently have to be contributed under the scheme is capped at 7.5%. Prime Time reports that the review states this increase to 10%.
For this purpose, the first €36,000 of assets (€72,000 for a couple) is not part of the calculation but the government will now consider reducing this.
The programme also showed how those availing of the scheme are currently required to contribute 7.5% of the value of their family home each year for a maximum of three years. The review says this three year cap could be reconsidered.
The review also looks at whether the law could be changed to allow Fair Deal charges be deducted from direct from pensions.
The review also lays out a consideration which could see older people contributing to the cost of community services through a charge on their estate after their death.
Only today Health Minister Leo Varadkar announced an expansion of the Fair Deal scheme that would see transitional beds currently in use in emergency departments replaced by sustainable, more cost-effective beds under Fair Deal.
Additional reporting by Nicky Ryan. Published 11.12pm, 2 April
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This would definitely ensure that many small businesses would fold.
While they force up rates for business too, some up by 75%. Enda Kenny is killing Irish business but you are all to blind to see it.
A lot of lazy idiots will simply take the piss and take a load of sick in a row, knowing well the employer cant do anything about it.
I think most decent workers who don’t currently have a sick pay entitlement in work would only use it if they really needed it.
I’ve never heard such rubbish. There are no advantages in this to be had by an employee. In fact all this legislation does is give an employer another reason to lower wages even more. It also encourages infighting between healthy and sick employees.
I’d definitely be leaving at least one person go when this comes in. Government just don’t get it do they?….small businesses are on the cross at the moment and are treading water at best. This must be one of the most anti business measures they’ve brought it.
Well we do know the Government are dumb enough to be thinking about it…
Lets see how many jobs they create after this comes in….its serious enough to make a multi national company choose another location over Ireland
Hair brained scheme. Reckless carry on from our Government. SME’s would implode.
Corrupt, sleazy, reckless private sector mismanagement in the economy threatens 100% of us all
I think you mean public sector…
Kingstown the private sector create the wealth like it or not & if we ever get out of this we will have the private sector to thank for it.
The private sector does don’t create wealth the consumer does
So would that mean no more P.A.Y.E contribution? Nah dont think so!
I love these soundbites everyday coming up to the budget…..
Sad times for the PAYE employee.
What about the employer who can’t even get benefit if the company closes??
This nonsense is the law in France and cripples small businesses and as a result small businesses avoid hiring anybody other than family. A little restaurant I used to go to had 3 waitresses employed, 2 were “on the sick”. When the third did the same, the man’s wife became the waitress. They won’t employ anyone else in a long time.
This is an excellent idea. It is right wing crap to suggest workers would deliberately go sick. There will always be a tiny number but the overwhelming majority would never do such a thing. I am a public servant with decent sick pay provision and have not taken any sick days this year (as I haven’t been sick!). The private sector will see similar stories to me and my colleagues. It is anti-worker drivel to suggest otherwise. If people take the piss, deal with them through the disciplinary procedures
I’m guessing you do not have employees? Trust me, the piss gets taken.
Ridiculous law and more smoke and mirror games by the shambles of a government.
Its all part of the FG plan, divide and conquer. And people wonder why there are no protests? We are all arguing over this crap while the country is destroyed further.
a strategy known as it’s “the roman circus”
Right wing crap ? Really , and are you aware of the appalling track record of some of the public sector levels of sick …for example the health system as highlighted in the following article recently to illustrate
..”Staff in the ‘other patient and client care’ category had some of the highest absenteeism rates across the hospital system, reaching 15.63 per cent in Drogheda. Nursing absenteeism rates meanwhile varied from 0.4 per cent in St James’s Hospital to 11.17 per cent in Lourdes Orthopaedic.
The place for the government to start tackling real abuse in the sick system is its own front door as the public service employer , by hurting RTE really small business with 2 or 3 people which this does is crazy timing as they are struggling far more in a recession
Not RTE…..should read The really small business
As an employer take my word for it, this proposal will cost jobs and increase demand on social welfare. Nothing will be saved by dept of social protection as in the case of my business the cost of sick pay will have to be made up for in reduction in overall pay bill by reduction in numbers or more part-time working.
BTW, this is regardless of whether the cases are genuine or people “take the piss”
This government are brain dead if they don’t realise how many small businesses will have to close if they persist with this lunacy .
This must mean that 42% of Business were always unviable and were merely existing because of the PAYE sector
have your say