The government will announce plans to halve a special budget to help the handicapped and people with chronic conditions pay high medical bills in next month’s budget, the AD reports.

Insiders have told the paper spending on the scheme, which costs €580m a year, is to be halved. Currently some two million people can claim up to €510 a year to offset extra medical expenses.
The government will announce its 2012 spending plans on the third Tuesday in September. It has already emerged that everyone will face a reduction in spending power next year.