AN emotional Councillor Antoinette Baker Bashua called for people with critical illnesses to be fast tracked for medical cards at this week’s meeting of Clare County Council. She said the fact that people are forced to struggle with bureaucracy even as they battle very serious illness is not right.
The Fianna Fáil councillor said she had first hand experience of how difficult it is to get what is required.
“I had breast cancer back ten years ago. I had to apply for a medical card on the basis that I just couldn’t afford not to at the time. It took me the best part of four months to receive that medical card,” she said.
“I had to pay for all my appointments, through chemo, which was €127 at the time, I had to pay for my wig, I had to pay for everything. The stress of it alone was horrendous. When you are suffering with a critical illness, the least amount of stress is what you are looking for.”
She said she had been stunned to find out that things have not improved since she was in that position.
“I was shocked to find out recently that it is still not dealt with. The medical card does not have a fast track system in place for anyone dealing with a critical illness. They have to go through the normal procedure that everyone else does.”
The Fianna Fáil councillor said that there needs to be special consideration taken of very difficult circumstances.
“If you need a medical card quite quickly that you would be put into a separate pile and you would be given your medical card within six weeks.”
She was tearful as she spoke about how difficult it had been to cope with unexpected bills coming in while seriously ill.
Councillor Mary Howard (FF) paid tribute to Councillor Baker Bashua, while she also backed her motion strongly.
“We’re aware of the difficulties that people have when they get a diagnosis of a long term illness and the hoops they have to go through in order to access health care immediately. You should not have to incur that expense, we’re one of the wealthiest countries in the world and it is appalling the way that people are being treated. There’s a phrase that how a society treats its most vulnerable is the measure of its humanity and sometimes you’d be mortified at how we treat people in this country.”
People end up wondering if they can even afford badly needed treatment, she added.
“You have a lot of quiet people who are unassuming and always went about life quietly and next thing they are left with this dilemma, can I afford to go through the treatment? That should never be a question, it should never come into the equation. We should focus on ensuring the person makes a full and quick recovery.”
Councillor Paul Murphy said that he wanted “to totally, totally support Antoinette.”
He said her insight was hugely valuable in explaining what it is really like for people impacted by the flawed system. “The lived experience really resonates with us and gives us a feeling for the emotional rollercoaster that people go through in these instances.”
Councillor Tony O’Brien also supported the motion.
“The important part is that a streamlined and efficient process must be implemented to prioritise and expedite medical card approvals for critically ill patients. I think everybody in the Chamber would agree with that. Anyone who has been diagnosed with a critical illness should have access to medical care.”
He said it is up to the councillor to get onto national representatives to look for change.
“There is a new government being formed and it behoves us all to now canvass our TDs and make sure this is included in any agreement and that it be fast tracked through any bureaucratic process.”
Independent Ian Lynch praised Councillor Baker Bashua for speaking about something so personal. “It’s very easy to talk about third parties but when you’re talking about yourself it is very hard. I’m glad you’re okay.”
He said he had encountered people recently with the same problem. “I was quite surprised during the campaign to meet people in this situation. I couldn’t believe it. How we treat people is just unreal.”
Anyone can get such an illness, he added, and the lack of care is astonishing. “I met a woman who said to me she wasn’t sure if she could afford to get better but she couldn’t afford to die. It was just horrendous to think that was going through her head at a time you would think the State would just step in.”
Councillor Pat Hayes said that there is a bureaucracy at work against people who need support. “It isn’t something new, it is the system, it is the permanent government doing everything in their power not to give you a medical card.”
He said that when he had needed help himself, it wasn’t forthcoming and that the current system is not patient centred. “There is no humanity in the system anymore, you’re just a number.”
Councillor Tommy Guilfoyle urged the members of the two biggest parties on the Council to advocate for change.
“I stress to my comrades on the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael benches that these issues that ye are bringing up are Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael policies. They’re the policies of current and former governments. As the grassroots members of these parties, push harder to create change.”
Summing up, Councillor Baker Bashua reiterated that people suffer because of the lack of respect.
“They have taken the human side out of it. If a computer says no they just send you out a generic letter to say you have not been successful.”
She also said that many people are affected. “I’m not alone, I’m one of probably three or four thousand if not more people a year that gets diagnosed and has to look for a medical card.”
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked with a number of other publications in Limerick, Cork and Galway. His first book will be published in December 2024.