Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 20 Nov 2003

Vol. 575 No. 1

Written Answers. - Medical Cards.

Richard Bruton

Question:

160 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children the income guidelines which are being applied for eligibility for the medical card; if these are uniform across the country; and if he has issued guidance to the chief executive officers of the health boards in respect of the annual revision of these guidelines in the context of the 2004 Estimates. [27968/03]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

The medical card income guidelines issued by the chief executive officers of the health boards or the ERHA, which are applied by all health boards and the authority effective from 1 January 2003 are:

	€
Single person living alone (under 66)	138
Single person living alone (66-69 years)	151
Single person living with family (under 66)	123
Single person living with family (66-69)	130
Married couple (under 66)	200
Married couple (66-69)	224
Married couple (70-79)	447.50
Married couple (80 and over)	471
Allowance for each child under 16	25
Allowance for dependant over 16 with no income maintained by applicant	26
Allowance for house expenses (rent etc.): in excess of	25
Allowance for cost of travelling to work: in excess of	22

Income guidelines are drawn up each year by the chief executive officers of the health boards or the ERHA to assist in determining a person's eligibility for a medical card. The guidelines are revised annually in line with the consumer price index. It should be noted, however, that the guidelines are not statutorily binding. Although a person's income exceeds the guidelines, a medical card may be awarded if the chief executive officer considers that his or her medical needs or other circumstances justify it. 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 the services for themselves or their dependants without hardship.

As the revision of the guidelines is a matter for the chief executive officers, I have not issued guidance regarding the annual revision of the guidelines in the context of the 2004 Estimates. However, increases in social welfare rates in recent years have meant that such rates may exceed the income guidelines for a medical card. As a result, my Department has written to the chairman of the chief executive officers' group on a number of occasions, most recently on 5 November 2003. The Department asked the chairman to advise the chief executive officers of my concern that medical card holders should not be disadvantaged as a result of increases in social welfare payments which may be announced in the forthcoming budget. The chief executive officers were asked to ensure that increases in social welfare payments do not lead to medical card holders losing their medical cards by reference to the income guidelines. The chief executive officers were also asked to make every effort to ensure that medical card holders and applicants are made fully aware that increases in social welfare payments will not disadvantage them when applying to hold or retain a medical card.