Dessie Ellis
Question:570 Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Health his plans to extend general practitioner visit cards to cover hospital and accident and emergency visits and stays. [13716/12]
View answerTuesday, 13 March 2012
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Written answers
The GP visit card was introduced in 2005 as a graduated benefit, so that people on lower incomes who do not qualify for a medical card, would not be deterred on cost grounds from visiting their GP. I have no plans at present to extend the scope of the GP visit card to include exemptions to general hospital charges.