Details of the number of medical card holders are provided to my Department each month by the Health Service Executive (and before 2005 the health boards). The table below shows the number of persons with medical cards and the proportion of the national population which this represents, in respect of the years 1998-2008.
Year
|
National population
|
No. of medical card holders
|
Proportion of national population with medical cards
|
31st December 1998
|
3,741,600
|
1,183,554
|
31.63%
|
31st December 1999
|
3,789,500
|
1,164,187
|
30.72%
|
31st December 2000
|
3,847,200
|
1,148,055
|
29.84%
|
31st December 2001
|
3,917,203
|
1,199,454
|
30.62%
|
31st December 2002
|
3,978,900
|
1,164,453
|
29.27%
|
31st December 2003
|
4,043,800
|
1,152,908
|
28.51%
|
31st December 2004
|
4,130,700
|
1,145,083
|
27.72%
|
31st December 2005
|
4,234,900
|
1,155,727
|
27.29%
|
31st December 2006
|
4,239,848
|
1,221,695
|
28.81%
|
31st December 2007
|
4,339,000
|
1,276,178
|
29.41%
|
2008 (as at 1st April 2008)
|
4,339,000
|
1,292,086
|
29.78%
|
In addition, as at 1st April 2008, 77,629 persons held a GP visit card.
In interpreting this information, it is necessary to take account of the fact that a substantial programme of work has been undertaken in recent years to improve data quality in the General Medical Services (GMS) client database. For example, in 2003 and 2004, work carried out by the health boards led to a deletion of approximately 104,000 inappropriate entries, where, for example, there were duplicate entries for the same person, the expiry date on the card had passed, the person had moved away or was deceased. This exercise did not involve any reduction in the actual number of persons who held medical cards but rather resulted in a more accurate picture of the number of individuals in receipt of GP services under the GMS Scheme.
I also provide a table for the Deputy showing medical card assessment guideline increases since 1998.
Year
|
Single Person (under 66, living alone)
|
Couple (under 66)
|
Annual Percentage Increase
|
1998
|
£89.00
|
£129.00
|
|
1999
|
£92.00
|
£133.00
|
3%
|
2000
|
£93.50
|
£135.00
|
2%
|
2001
|
£100.00 (€126.97)
|
£144.50 (€183.50)
|
7%
|
2002
|
€132.00
|
€190.50
|
4%
|
2003
|
€138.00
|
€200.00
|
4.5%
|
2004
|
€142.50
|
€206.50
|
3%
|
2005 (Jan.)
|
€153.50
|
€222.00
|
7.5%
|
2005 (Oct.)
|
€184.00
|
€266.50
|
20%
|