Bernard Allen
Question:175 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health if he proposes to introduce a system whereby medical cards will be offered to mothers who give birth to twins in view of the expenses when those children become sick.
Vol. 441 No. 3
175 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health if he proposes to introduce a system whereby medical cards will be offered to mothers who give birth to twins in view of the expenses when those children become sick.
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. 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.