Two-year-old Josh Butler was born deaf, and after consultation, the brave boy was selected for a pioneering brain stem implant done by a prominent surgeon in Italy.
The HSE reportedly agreed to pay for the 76,000 treatment, only to refuse payment at the last moment, leaving Josh and her mother Chloe with nowhere to go.
Chloe has now secured a bank loan to cover the initial costs of her son’s surgery, but will also be forced to sell her house to pay for the entire treatment and his son’s aftercare.
She has heavily criticized the HSE for their steadfast refusal to pay up, specially given the fact that they initially said they would.
It is understood the problem started after Josh’s place for surgery was switched to a private hospital in Verona, instead of the public hospital that a Dublin consultant originally referred them to. Ms. Nash was reportedly unaware that switching hospitals would jeopardise the funding.
In response to the issue, the HSE have issued the following statement;
“The HSE operates a Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS) for persons entitled to treatment in another EU/EEA member state or Switzerland under EU regulations and in accordance with DoH guidelines. Approvals are only issued for specified public hospitals abroad, providing an identified treatment which is not available in Ireland, through the issue of form E112.
The TAS has never withdrawn an approval and at no time has the HSE TAS given approval for a patient to attend a private hospital abroad.”
In the meantime, Ms. Walsh has begun a fundraising campaign to help with Josh’s treatment.
If you wish to donate, you can do so at http://www.gofundme.com/y55euw