Under the Health Act, 1970, as amended, eligibility for health services is based primarily on residency and means. In accordance with the Act, 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.
The HSE has a system in place for the provision of medical cards to homeless persons who need ongoing emergency care or in response to an emergency situation. Applications for such persons are forwarded to the National Medical Card Unit by Local Health Office Managers or Social Workers.
With the exception of terminally ill patients all medical cards, granted on an emergency basis, are issued on the basis that the patient is eligible for a medical card on the basis of means or undue hardship, and will follow up with a full application within a number of weeks of receiving the medical card eligibility. Eligibility, in these circumstances, is granted to a named individual for a period of six months.
The Primary Care Reimbursement Services has advised that it is unaware of medical cards being withdrawn from homeless persons living outside executive areas. If the Deputy will provide specific details of the person or persons concerned, the Health Service Executive will examine the matter and reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
