Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 14 Dec 1993

Vol. 437 No. 2

Written Answers. - Medical Card Eligibility.

Ivan Yates

Question:

167 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Health if, in view of the problems relating to the poverty trap arising from the loss of medical cards for people who take up low paid casual or part-time work, he has any proposals to review the means test for medical cards on the basis of net pay or any other proposals to deal with this problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

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 drawn up by the chief executive officers to assist in the determination of a person's eligibility and these are revised annually in line with the Consumer Price Index. Assessment is based on gross income less PRSI deductions. 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 addition the chief executive officers have introduced a number of measures to assist medical card holders who take up employment. Weekly payments made under the FÁS social employment scheme are excluded in assessing income. Also, persons who held a medical card while on the live register are allowed retain the medical card for a period of two years after taking up employment if they qualify for family income supplement. There are also special provisions for people participating in certain other schemes targeted at the long term unemployed.

On a final note I would like to point out that it is open to all persons to apply to the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board for health services if they are unable to provide these services for themselves or their dependants without hardship. I am satisfied that health boards give sympathetic consideration to such applications when the circumstances warrant it.