Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 May 2013
222. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will publish the medical criteria being applied to the assessment of medical cards, and particularly those medical card applications that are over the income thresholds; if he will outline any changes that have been made to these criteria since the centralisation of medical card applications and assessment; and when these changes were made. [20892/13]
View answerFollowing the centralisation of the overall management of the GMS Scheme to PCRS in July 2011, the assessment methodology applied to applications, that include supporting documentation to indicate that the applicant (or dependent(s), where applicable) has a medical condition, are outlined below.
Where the combined income of an applicant and spouse/partner is over the Medical Card or GP Visit Card income qualifying limits for an individual or family and they have difficult personal circumstances that cause them undue hardship, such as a family member with a particular illness, the application is considered under hardship/unduly burdensome. In such instances, evidence, for example a medical report and/or medical expense receipts will be considered. In cases where a medical condition applies, the file will be reviewed by a Medical Officer who may recommend to invoke discretion and issue a Medical Card or GP Visit Card, as considered appropriate.
