HAA cardholders are entitled to a range of healthcare services:
If you contracted Hepatitis C from the administration of contaminated blood or blood products within the Irish State, you are entitled to a range of health care services. If you need assistance in relation to accessing the health care services outlined on this page, contact our office.
The Health Amendment Act card is given to persons who contracted Hepatitis C from the administration within the State of contaminated blood and blood products. It is not the same as a medical card. The HAA Card gives entitlements to additional services, on more flexible terms and conditions than the medical card. There are approximately 1600 HAA cards in the Republic of Ireland.
Transfusion Positive will be glad to assist you in making this application, contact our office for further assistance.
Application is made to the HSE for a Health Amendment Act Card (HAA card) via the Hepatitis C Liaison Officer for your area.
You are entitled to the following:
Prescriptions:
Prescribed Drugs and Medications Prescriptions:
HAA cardholders are entitled to any prescribed drugs and medications without charge. To avail of this service you present your HAA card to the pharmacy of your choice along with the relevant prescription. The pharmacy you choose is at your discretion. You do not have to attend a local pharmacy, or attend the same pharmacist each time you get a prescription dispensed if you choose not to. The pharmacist is obliged to dispense whatever is placed on the prescription and if there are issues relating to the nature of items on the prescription or if there are any queries relating to payment these should not be addressed with the HAA cardholder, instead the pharmacist should deal with the HSE Liaison Officer. Prescribed drugs and medications do not include cosmetic type toiletries. back to top
HAA cardholders are entitled to any necessary aids and appliances whether or not they are required as a direct result of your Hepatitis C condition. The aid or appliance must be prescribed by your GP, Consultant, Occupation Therapist or Public Health Nurse/Clinical Nurse Coordinator. Items available to assist with mobility either inside or outside the home include walking sticks and frames, wheelchairs, grab rails, shower seats, bath and bed hoists etc. In the case of difficulties obtaining any aid or appliance, the Hepatitis C Liaison Officer will assist. back to top
HAA cardholders are entitled to all:
Dental treatments will be provided by dentists who participate in the Dental Treatment Services Scheme (D.T.S.S.) operated by the HSE. A list of participating dentists is available from the Hepatitis C Liaison Officer in each area. If you require a prescription your dentist should write this on a private prescription form. You are entitled to have this prescription dispensed free of charge by a pharmacist on production of your HAA card.
If you are attending a dentist who is currently not on the list of dentists participating in the D.T.S.S., arrangements can be made for payment to this dentist by the Hepatitis C Liaison Officer in your area.
Treatments covered by your HAA card:
For more serious conditions your dentist may refer you to an appropriate expert for investigation and/or treatment. back to top
If you require eyesight tests and/or spectacles, you can attend any Ophthalmic Optician of your choice. You are entitled to any optical appliance or service that is clinically necessary. The HSE will reimburse the optician directly for the cost of the sight test and spectacle lenses.
What you are entitled to:
The cost of any lenses that are clinically necessary in your glasses are covered. In the case of varifocal lenses, a grant of €249 is available for a complete pair (including €90 towards the frames) which should cover the full cost. However, in the case where the complete cost of the varifocals is not covered by the €249 grant, the balance will have to be paid by you and then once you provide receipts to your Liaison Officer you will be reimbursed. back to top
Counselling services for Hepatitis C are available to HAA cardholders and can also be availed of by immediate relatives. Counsellors must be accredited to certain professional bodies in order to provide counselling services to HAA cardholders. At the moment, accreditation from the following bodies is acceptable and recognised by the HSE:
The choice of counsellor is entirely at the HAA cardholders discretion. The HSE have some counsellors in each area who are on a HSE dedicated list of counsellors and this is available from the local Hepatitis C Liaison Officer. The Hepatitis C Liaison Officer will make arrangements to pay the counsellor on your behalf once they are accredited to the regulatory bodies. back to top
HAA cardholders can avail of chiropody and podiatry services from any qualified chiropodist or podiatrist. Choice of chiropodist is at discretion of the HAA cardholder. You can avail of as many visits to the chiropodist/podiatrist as you need and there is no requirement to obtain prior approval or a GP's referral. You can then either recoup the cost of your consultations with the chiropodist on production of receipts with your Liaison Officer or alternatively the Liaison Officer can arrange to pay the chiropodist on your behalf. The type of services which are offered by most chiropodist/podiatrist include the following:
Complementary therapies are available to all HAA cardholders. The term complementary therapies refers to therapies that are not used as part of conventional medicine. This position is now changing and some healthcare professionals are now offering and providing complementary therapies to their patients as part of their overall care. Many people find complementary therapies beneficial in dealing with a number of conditions, including Hepatitis C. For example, complementary therapies may include:
It is essential that your liver specialist approves of any complementary therapy that you are proposing to avail of. You should keep your liver specialist informed of any service or treatment you are undertaking.
The HSE are responsible for providing you with a home support service to assist you in carrying out any household duty you are not able to perform due to your illness. All HAA cardholders are entitled to avail of this service. When it has been established that you require assistance in carrying out normal household duties a recommendation will be made by a GP/Consultant on the number of hours required. Normal household duties include cleaning, cooking, gardening, painting, caring for small children, ironing etc. but depends very much on individual needs of the HAA cardholder.
There are 2 options for having your home support needs met:
Transfusion Positive will be glad to assist you in making this application, contact our office for further assistance. back to top
All HAA cardholders are entitled to avail of a home nursing service and this is in respect of any condition that requires the cardholder to be looked after at home, regardless of whether or not the condition is related to Hepatitis C. back to top
Hearing tests and aids (sometimes referred to as aural services) are available to all HAA cardholders. If any cardholder requires hearing tests and/or hearing aids; he/she should initially contact the Hepatitis C Liaison Officer for details on how to access the service, as arrangements for audiology services vary from region to region. Contact our office if you require assistance in relation to accessing this service.
If you have difficulty with your hearing, you are advised to contact your GP or hepatologist in the first instance, so that any medical problems can be ruled out. If necessary, your hepatologist or GP might decide to refer you to an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist. This referral, as with all referrals to another specialty, should be facilitated within 2 weeks and you should liaise with the Hepatitis C Liaison Nurse in your Liver Unit. back to top
Physiotherapy services are available to you either privately by a chartered physiotherapist or else in the hospital setting once you are referred by your GP/Consultant. Chiropractic, osteopathic and hydrotherapy services are also available to you and can be availed of once they are performed by a registered chartered physiotherapist.
Availing of Services:
Once you are referred by your GP/Consultant you should contact your Liaison Officer who will advise you on private chartered physiotherapists in your area that already provide physiotherapy services to HAA cardholders. The Liaison Officer can make an initial appointment for you if you wish. The HSE will then pay this physiotherapist directly for you each time you attend.
You may attend a physiotherapist of your choice and if you wish, the Hepatitis C Liaison Officer will contact the physiotherapist on your behalf to check whether he/she wishes to be added to the HSE list, or if not, will agree to bill the HSE directly for your own treatment. If the physiotherapist is unwilling, or if you would prefer that the Hepatitis C Liaison Officer did not get involved, you are still free to attend this physiotherapist and have the cost recouped. You do not have to attend a local chartered physiotherapist, or to continue attending the same physiotherapist if you choose not to. back to top
For further information in relation to Hepatology Units and hospital services for HAA cardholders, contact Transfusion Positive. The Liver Units designated to provide care for adults with Hepatitis C are located in the following public hospitals:
Beaumont Hospital
Mater Misercordiae University Hospital
St. James's Hospital
St. Vincent's University Hospital
St. Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny
Cork University Hospital
University College Hospital, Galway
For children until the age of 18 years, the Liver Unit designated to provide services is Our Lady's Children's Hospital. After their 18th birthday, children are referred by Our Lady's Hospital to one of the adult Liver Units of their choice.
Our Lady's Children's Hospital
Each of the HSE areas, Community Health Organisations or CHOs, has a designated Hepatitis C Liaison Officer. The role of the Hepatitis C Liaison Officer is to ensure that persons who have contracted Hepatitis C from the administration of blood or blood products within the State receive the services they are entitled to under the terms of the 1996 Act. The Hepatitis C Liaison Officers are responsible for coordinating and assisting you in accessing primary care services.
Contact Transfusion Positive for additional information. Hepatitis C Liaison Officers are listed below. back to top
National Hepatitis C Coordinator
Liaison Officers
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