Medical card and GP Visit card eligibility for persons aged 70 or older is based on assessment on a gross income basis and takes account of all income.
Persons aged 70 or older, who are assessed as ineligible under the gross income thresholds that apply, may also have their eligibility assessed under the general means tested medical card scheme. This assessment is based on net income and assessable outgoing expenses and the qualifying income thresholds under this scheme are lower than over-70s gross income thresholds.
The general scheme is not age dependant and is open to persons of all ages ordinarily resident in the state. Should an over-70s person wish to have assessable out-going expenses or medical circumstances considered, he/she can complete an MC1 medical card/GP visit card application form (available from the local health office) and submit the completed form for assessment under the general scheme of assessment.
If a person is means assessed ineligible for a medical card under the general scheme, and that person has other social, medical or financial circumstances relevant to an assessment of their ability to provide for their medical needs or the medical needs of any dependants they may have, these factors will be considered to decide if a medical card or GP visit card should be approved on discretionary grounds under the ‘undue hardship’ or ‘undue burden’ provision of the medical card scheme.
I would like to advise the Deputy that the information above does not reflect any policy or, indeed, operational change in how the medical scheme is administered. These provisions are provided for in the Health Act 1970 (as amended) and are detailed in the HSE’s “Medical Card/GP Visit Card National Assessment Guidelines for People aged 70 years and over ”, available on the HSE’s website.
