John Browne
Question:54 Mr. Browne (Carlow/Kilkenny) asked the Minister for Health if his Department has issued any new instructions regarding the issue of medical cards to asthma sufferers, especially children.
Written Answers. - Free GMS Services Eligibility.
Liz McManus
Question:235 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Health if he will extend the granting of eligibility for free GMS services to those of 65 years and over in view of the need experienced by our elderly.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 235 together.
Under the Health Act, 1970, medical cards are issued 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 dependants.
Income guidelines are available to assist Chief Executive Officers in the determination of a person's eligibility and these guidelines are revised annually in line with the Consumer Price Index. The guidelines are higher for persons aged sixty-six to seventy-nine and higher again for those aged eighty and over. However, these guidelines are not statutorily binding and even though a person's income exceeds the guidelines, that person may still be awarded a medical card if the Chief Executive Officer considers that the person's medical needs or other circumstances would justify this. In view of this special provision, I do not think that it is justifiable to extend an automatic entitlement to a medical care to any specific group without any reference to their means or, in the case of children, to their parents means, particularly given the many areas of pressing need in the health services and the limited resources available to meet them.
Every person who is in genuine need of a medical card must, of course, receive one, and I am satisfied that the health boards give sympathetic consideration to applications made on the grounds of special medical needs.