Long-term care patients who pay fees consulted by ‘multidisciplinary team’ – Mater Dei CEO

Patients flagged for long-term care are consulted by a multi-disciplinary team in full consultation with the patient and his/her relatives, always evaluating the needs of the individual in question, Mater Dei CEO Ivan Falzon has told The Malta Independent.

The newsroom had previously been informed that individuals were receiving large bills, without having been notified of any existing fees, for family members who were terminally ill patients at Mater Dei and elected to remain at the facility rather than go to a state-owned residence or returning home. One individual reported that he was asked to pay €2,000.

However, Mater Dei CEO Ivan Falzon stated unequivocally that “there exists no fee for entitled persons for the provision of acute services at Mater Dei Hospital,” and clarified that this query most likely dealt with long-term patients.

“Once a person is admitted to Mater Dei for acute treatment and the acute cycle is completed, patients are discharged back to the community.”

Falzon wanted to make it clear that the hospital tries its utmost to allow patients to return to their communities; however, “in particular instances, due to various circumstances surrounding one’s clinical and social conditions, some patients are flagged for an admission to one of the government’s long-term facilities.”

“This process is carried out by a multi-disciplinary team in full consultation with the patient and his/her relatives, always evaluating the needs of the individual in question.”

Falzon also clarified that the process usually takes a maximum of six weeks from the moment the individual is flagged for long-term patient care to when they can return to their community.

Once a patient is flagged for long-term care, the applicable pension deductions are outlined in Subsidiary Legislation 318.13 of January 2004, and are as follows:

Level 1 Care

Any resident receiving Level 1 care, where residential service with only minimal basic care is provided, shall contribute 60% of any pension, social assistance and bonus receivable, net of income tax, and 60% of any other income received during the calendar year. The resident cannot be left with less than €1,397.62 per annum at their disposal. If you were resident at the state finance institution before the legislation, then this amount must also not exceed €24.46

Level 2 Care

Any resident receiving Level 2 care, where the residential service provided includes such level of care that goes beyond minimal basic care as certified by the Interdisciplinary Assessment Team within the Elderly and Community Services Department, shall contribute 80% of any pension, social assistance and bonus receivable, net of income tax, and 60% of any other income received during the calendar year. The contribution made by the resident shall not exceed the cost of the service provided per diem (€31.45 per diem for residents who were at the facility prior to the legislation) and could not be left with less than €1,397.62 per annum at the resident’s disposal.

When the individual is a parent who is either the sole bread winner; is raising a minor or a child above 16 still undergoing education or training; or is registered as unemployed, a calculation is used to determine the contribution, which takes into account:

-The value of any property (excluding the house of residence) which is, or could be, invested or put to profitable use, excluding furniture, jewellery and other personal effects:

-Any income derived from cash at a bank, liquid assets, time deposits, bonds, stocks, shares and other securities;

-Any pension, benefit, social assistance, bonus or allowance whether such pension, benefit, assistance, bonus or allowance are paid under the Act or not;

-Any other income or privilege which is or could be received or enjoyed by such resident, and for this purpose shall include any income or privilege which the resident had directly or indirectly deprived himself in order to have his contribution due in terms of these regulations assessed at a lower rate;

-The cost per diem of the service being provided.

A child over sixteen who, due to disability cannot work, is charged from of all the social security benefits or pensions due to be apportioned to the resident. Any other income is not to be considered, except where the resident is in receipt of insurance money intended to cover part or all of the treatment required by the resident.

The establishments to which the legislation applies are as follows:

Saint Vincent de Paule Residence; The Geriatric Wards, and St Anne Residence of the Gozo General Hospital; Mater Dei Hospital; Karin Grech Rehabilitation Hospital; Mount Carmel Hospital; Sir Paul Boffa Hospital; residential homes in Cospicua, Floriana, Gżira, Mosta, Msida, Mtarfa, Żejtun, Mellieħa; and any other state-financed beds in privately owned homes for the elderly or institutions as may be contracted by the government.