Vol. 471 No. 7
136 Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn asked the Minister for Health the number of registered blind persons who are currently disqualified from holding a medical card due to income levels; the proposals, if any, he has to extend medical cards to such persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21519/96]
Limerick East): At present there are 6,401 persons registered as blind. However, the information sought by the Deputy regarding the number of registered blind persons who do not hold a medical card due to their income levels is not readily available to my Department.
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 medical and surgical 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 guidelines 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. Medical cards may also be awarded to individual family members.
