asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement on the apparent anomoly in the guidelines for applicants for medical cards (details supplied); and whether it is envisaged that any change will be brought about.
Written Answers. - Medical Cards Eligibility.
256.
Medical cards are issued on a means test basis to persons who in the opinion of the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board are unable without undue hardship to provide general practitioner services for themselves and their dependents. The purpose of the medical cards income guidelines is to assist chief executive officers in reaching a decision about a person's entitlement and to ensure uniformity of decisions in the different health boards. In deciding eligibility for free services every effort is made to be as equitable as possible and in cases where people are cohabiting health boards treat them as a family unit, as far as possible, and apply the medical card guidelines for married couples.
I consider the existing arrangements to be fair and equitable and I do not propose to change them.