Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 October 2014
122. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the specific legislative basis on which a medical card may be withdrawn by the Health Service Executive in advance of the expiry date shown on the card when the person's income and medical circumstances have not changed, but where changes have been made in eligibility criteria. [37343/14]
View answerUnder the Health Act, 1970, as amended, eligibility for a medical card is based on whether a person is unable, without undue hardship, to arrange GP services for themselves and their family, having regard to their overall financial situation and reasonable expenditure. The HSE can only award medical cards in accordance with the legislation and, therefore, it must assess applicants on the overall financial situation of the applicant and his or her dependants.
All medical cards are subject to a periodic review of eligibility to determine continuing eligibility. The Deputy will be aware that each person who has eligibility to a medical or GP visit card receives a plastic card on which a “valid to” date is printed. This is the latest date that a review may be conducted in respect of that person. Notwithstanding the “valid to” date printed on the card, the HSE reserves the right to review eligibility, at any time, and take appropriate action in circumstances where the cardholder does not establish that he/she continues to fulfil the criteria for eligibility under the Medical Card / GP Visit Card National Assessment Guidelines.
The Deputy will also be aware that the gross income limits for an over-70s medical card were revised with effect from 1st January 2014 under the Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Act 2013. The HSE is required to identify those persons who no longer have full eligibility as a result of this change in eligibility criteria, and, in place of the medical card, issue a GP visit card to those with gross income up to €700 (single person)/€1,400 (couple) per week. While a person's income and medical circumstances may not have changed, he/she would lose eligibility for the over -70s medical card if gross income is in excess of €500 (single person)/€900 (couple) per week.
It is HSE policy to extend the eligibility for a reasonable period of time until the review is carried out and a final decision made on the person's continuing eligibility, once there is appropriate communication from the individual. Medical card holders who genuinely engage with the review of their medical card eligibility will not have their eligibility withdrawn before that review is complete.
