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To: Simon Harris, Minister for Health

Give Women With Gestational Diabetes Back Their Rights

Give Pregnant Women Back the Right To Access The LTI Scheme

Why is this important?

Women diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes were previously granted temporary LTI numbers to allow them access free drugs and testing strips to monitor their condition (as people with Type 1 and 2 can). This right was removed in 2013, causing untold stress to any pregnant woman diagnosed with GD. Because of how dangerous the condition is in pregnancy, many women have to test their blood multiple times a day. The strips for the testing machines can cost anywhere up to 59 euro a box, meaning that many women are spending 144 euro a month (max you pay on DPS scheme) buying strips, which were previously free.
People with other types of diabetes are given an automatic right to free strips, for life, while pregnant women are once again punished by a government that does not care about them or their well being.
There are few among us who could cope with suddenly needing to shell out 144 euro a month, especially low paid workers with no medical card entitlements - and when you're saving for a new baby it's even more stressful. Pregnancy is universal, people from all walks of life want to have families, but the working poor are once more being punished by a government that does not care.
Give women back their rights, treat pregnant women equally and fairly.
Ireland

Maps © Stamen; Data © OSM and contributors, ODbL

Updates

2017-11-10 17:36:33 +0000

Catherine Murphy TD has raised the question of why LTI access was taken away and is waiting for a response from the Minister and the HSE.

QUESTION

* To ask the Minister for Health if he will re-establish the entitlement to free testing strips under the long term illness scheme for persons diagnosed with gestational diabetes during pregnancy; the rationale for the cessation of the scheme; the amount saved on a monthly basis since the entitlement ceased; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

- Catherine Murphy.
REPLY

As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

2017-10-24 18:48:30 +0100

100 signatures reached

2017-10-24 16:20:47 +0100

Catherine Murphy TD to raise the question on why LTI Numbers were removed. See email below:

Dear Oonagh

Thank you for taking the time to get in touch.

I will submit a number of Parliamentary Questions to the Minister on this topic on your behalf. You do raise valid points and I'd be very interested to get the Ministers perspective on them.
Generally it takes a week to get a reply from the Department, once it arrives I will get it over to as soon as I can.

I hope this initial step is to your satisfaction.

Kind regards,

Sent by Aaron McA
On behalf of Catherine Murphy

_________________________
Catherine Murphy, TD
Social Democrats
KILDARE NORTH

2017-10-24 15:05:09 +0100

50 signatures reached

2017-10-24 14:41:20 +0100

25 signatures reached

2017-10-24 14:01:44 +0100

10 signatures reached