Liberal Vannin leader Peter Karran says it’s crazy that pensioners on high incomes continue to get free dental care and prescriptions.
The Onchan MHK has written to Chief Minister Allan Bell calling for the introduction of an income card scheme.
He said that pensioners with an income above a certain threshold – he suggests £40,000 for a couple and £30,000 for single person – would not receive that card and would therefore continue to pay prescription and dental charges.
Tynwald voted in April to change the age-related entitlement to exemption from 60 for prescription charges, and 65 for dental charges, to bring it in line with the state retirement age. This comes into force from June 1.
Nearly 90 per cent of prescriptions issued each year are to people who are exempt from charges.
In a statement following this year’s Budget, the Department of Health said it was examining arrangements concerning exemption from prescription and other charges to establish if they remain a viable option.
It said the department will also be considering the level of charges themselves and the arrangements that apply in terms of services such as dentistry and ophthalmology.
And in Tynwald tomorrow (Tuesday) Castletown MHK Richard Ronan will ask the Chief Minister to make a statement on the development of policy towards means testing in light of the ‘very significant budgetary challenges faced by the government’.
In his letter to the Chief Minister, Mr Karran states: ‘With the raising of the state pension age for dental and prescription charges, I do feel that the Council of Ministers needs to stop hiding away from the real issues that need to be addressed.
‘I, personally, think it is crazy that there are pensioners with incomes that most working people could not dream of ever earning in their lifetimes [who currently get free dental care and prescriptions].
‘I did consider putting a motion down to Tynwald to call for Treasury to develop an income tax card scheme that if individuals are above that income they would not receive that card and would be expected to pay for their prescription and dental charges, bringing it in firstly for pensioners, so long as their incomes are at a realistic level.
‘I do not see a problem with that, saying over £40,000 for a couple and £30,000 for a single pensioner, they would not receive a card and would be expected to pay for their prescription and dental charges like the rest of the working population.’
Mr Karran suggested that some of the savings from this could be put into a cancer drug fund.
This would be ‘like they have in the UK that stops the embarrassing situation where we have members having to bring individual cases to Tynwald in order to get people funded,’ he added.
In his letter, the Liberal Vannin leader said he ‘cannot see how any fair minded person in these dire financial times’ could object to his proposal – so long as the threshold is set a reasonable level.
In a statement, the Department of Health said: ‘Any change in policy as to whether or not those in receipt of a state pension should have their entitlement to benefits – such as exemption from paying prescription and dental charges – based on their ability to pay will likely form part of government’s wider investigation into means testing.’