Terence Flanagan
Question:237. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the restoration of medical cards (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16254/15]
View answerTuesday, 28 April 2015
Questions (237)
Written answers
In accordance with the Health Act 1970 (as amended), the assessment for a medical card is determined primarily by reference to the means, including the income and expenditure, of the applicant and his or her partner and dependants. There is no entitlement to a medical card for a person with a particular illness or medical condition or upon attaining a certain age.
The HSE has discretion to grant a medical card in circumstances where there is undue hardship in the arranging of medical services. For example, if an applicant's means are above the financial thresholds set out in the national guidelines, discretion will be applied automatically by the HSE during the processing of an application where additional information has been provided by the applicant, including medical reports from his/her GP, which can be considered by staff or a medical officer, where appropriate.
A person's GP is kept informed of any review notifications of their patients and they also have full electronic visibility of their medical card panel of patients and have the facility to allow temporary extension of eligibility for expiring cards where a sensitive renewal is appropriate. The temporary extension may also be allowed where they are aware that a person is still availing of services but there may be something that prevents them from carrying out a standard review. All GPs have appropriate electronic access to the medical card eligibility database and they do not have to confirm medical card details by contacting the HSE.