Joe Higgins
Question:730 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will consider issuing medical cards to young travellers aged 16 to 18 who are not in full-time education, training or employment. [21226/04]
View answerWednesday, 29 September 2004
Questions (548, 549)
Written answers
Entitlement to health services in Ireland is primarily based on residency and means. Under the Health Act 1970, determination of eligibility for medical cards is the responsibility of the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board other than for persons aged seventy years and over, who are automatically eligible for a medical card. Medical cards are issued to persons who, in the opinion of the chief executive officer, are unable to provide general practitioner medical and surgical services for themselves and their dependants without undue hardship. As a matter of course, the medical card income guidelines are revised annually in line with the consumer price index. The last such increase was notified in January 2004.
For those who do not qualify for a medical card there are a number of schemes which provide assistance towards the cost of medication, including the long-term illness scheme, and the drug payments scheme. Many allowances such as carer's allowance, child benefit, domiciliary care allowance, family income supplement and foster care allowance are all disregarded when determining a person's eligibility. Given these factors and the discretionary powers of the CEOs, having an income that exceeds the guidelines does not mean that a child, or other person, will not be eligible for a medical card, and a medical card may still be awarded if the chief executive officer considers that a person's medical needs or other circumstances would justify this.
Persons aged 16 to 25 who are financially dependent on their parents are entitled to a medical card if their parents are medical card holders. Those who are dependants of non-medical card holders are not normally entitled to a medical card except where they have an entitlement under EU regulations or where they are in receipt of a disability allowance. Students who are financially independent of their parents are entitled to apply for a medical card in their own right and are assessed on the same criteria as all other applicants. The decision on whether or not a person is regarded as a dependant or as being financially independent is made by the chief executive officer of the health board on the basis of the circumstances of each individual case.
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. In line with the health strategy Quality and Fairness — A Health System for You, the possibility of extending the medical card by statute to various groups, including children is under ongoing review in my Department in the context of the strategy's second goal. As the Deputy is aware the health strategy includes a commitment that significant improvements will be made in the medical card income guidelines in order to increase the number of persons on low income who are eligible for a medical card and to give priority to families with children and particularly children with a disability. This should be viewed in the broader context of the strategy's emphasis on fairness and its stated objective of reducing health inequalities in our society. While it has not been possible to meet this commitment to date, due to the budgetary situation, the Government remains committed to the introduction of the necessary changes within the lifetime of this Government. In addition, my Department is committed to the preparation of new legislation to update and codify the whole legal framework for eligibility and entitlements in regard to health services.
Seán Crowe
Question:731 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Health and Children the measures his Department has introduced to highlight the introduction of the new European cards to replace the old form, particularly with its possible increased use during the holiday period; the number of requests received to date for the card; and the offices and the addresses at which these cards can be accessed by the general public. [21250/04]
View answerThe European health insurance card was introduced on 1 June 2004 and replaced the E111 and three other forms previously used by entitled persons to access healthcare while on a temporary stay in another EU or EEA member state or in Switzerland. These were the E128 for students and posted workers, the E110 for international transport workers, and the health aspect of the E119 for jobseekers.
Those member states that did not already have a national health insurance card were entitled to avail of a transitional period before the introduction of the European health insurance card. Although entitled to avail of a transitional period, Ireland was one of 11 EU member states that introduced the card from 1 June 2004. A health boards executive, or HeBE, project team was established in September 2003 to manage all aspects of the introduction of the card within this timescale. As part of its brief, the project team, which included representatives of all health boards and of my Department, developed a public communications campaign that involved nationwide radio, print and outdoor advertising; information leaflets and posters available at health board offices around the country; a website which provided information about the card as well as facilitating on-line applications at www.ehic.ie.
On 23 September 2004, card registrations totalled 495,711. A further 114,707 provisional replacement certificates had been registered at that date. The certificate is issued in certain circumstances, in particular when the card cannot be issued in time before the departure of the individual on the temporary stay. Applications for the card may be made through local health board offices. The card may be applied for in person or by post and anyone wishing to apply for the card in this way is advised to contact his or her local health board for details of the nearest office to which application can be made. Helpline numbers for the card are available on www.ehic.ie as well as on information leaflets. The card may also be applied for on-line, at www.ehic.ie, in the case of individuals who already have either a drugs payment scheme card or a medical card.