People with diabetes who have medical cards can avoid prescription charges as they are entitled to a Long Term Illness (LTI) card, it has emerged.

According to the support group Diabetes Ireland, following a recent change in Department of Health policy, if you are a person with diabetes who holds a medical card, you can also now apply for, and be granted, a Long Term Illness Scheme card.

People with medical cards get free GP treatment and while the cost of drugs is also covered under medical cards, holders must pay a €2.50 per item prescription charge.

However, Diabetes Ireland has pointed out that there are no prescription charges imposed on LTI cardholders.

Diabetes is one of the conditions recognised for inclusion in the LTI scheme. The LTI card allows people with diabetes to receive drugs medicines and medical appliances directly related to your condition, free of charge.

Qualification for the LTI card does not depend on a person's income, but on being on a list of designated illness that qualify for the card, of which diabetes is one.

The medical card on the other hand is means-tested, but can also be provided on a discretionary basis in exceptional circumstances.

People who have diabetes often have to take a number of different medications, so therefore the prescription charges can add up each month.

Diabetes Ireland says diabetes patients who currently have a medical card can apply for an LTI card if they do not have one at http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/schemes/lti/ltiform.pdf