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Medical Cards.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 December 2004

Thursday, 2 December 2004

Questions (89)

Liz McManus

Question:

65 Ms McManus asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when the legislation providing for the new free general practitioner service will be introduced; when she expects that the scheme will be operational; if she will list the services or facilities that are available to those with medical cards that will not be available to persons holding the new general practitioner card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31543/04]

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Written answers

Subject to clarifying legislative and administrative issues, the new "doctor visit" card will be introduced as soon as possible in 2005. The card will cover visits to general practitioners who hold general medical services, GMS, contracts with health boards to treat GMS patients, and to whom these patients have been, or have expressed a wish to be, assigned under the GMS medical card scheme. As I have stated previously, I wanted to use resources to benefit as many people on lower incomes as possible. Persons aged 70 years and over have a statutory entitlement to a medical card from 1 July 2001, on the grounds of age alone and persons whose sole income is a social welfare pension will not be disadvantaged by any budgetary changes which might bring their income over the income guidelines for medical card assessment.

Parents on low incomes should not have to worry about the cost of bringing their child to a doctor. People will now be able to get the advice and reassurance they need from their GP, and in many cases, no additional costs will arise. Persons who hold "doctor visit" cards will be entitled to avail of drugs and medicines under the drugs payment scheme which provides that no person or family unit must pay in excess of €78 per month —€85 from 1 January 2005 — in respect of a range of approved prescribed drugs and medicines. With the introduction of this card, the number of persons now covered for free general practitioner services will be 1.38 million.

The services in respect of the supply of medicines and a range of services provided free of charge under the GMS medical card scheme, such as pharmacy, dental, ophthalmic and aural services, will not be available to those who hold "doctor visit" cards. However, it should be pointed out that responsibility for the assessment of applications by persons for medical cards lies with the chief executive officer of the relevant health board-authority. Each case is assessed on the grounds of income and medical need. In cases where the income guidelines are exceeded, a chief executive officer may grant a medical card where, in his opinion, the circumstances of the case might cause undue financial hardship on the applicant to provide medical and other services for himself or his dependants.

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