Medical Card Eligibility

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 October 2018

Thursday, 18 October 2018

Questions (233)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

233. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if work was carried out by his Department or the HSE to assess the impact that recently announced welfare rate increases would have on the ability of persons to obtain and retain medical cards due to the small increase in income; his views on whether some persons will lose their medical cards or no longer qualify as a result of these increases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43064/18]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Budget 2019 provided for increases in a number of social welfare payments which are intended to come into effect in March 2019. It would be the Government's intention that people's ability to qualify for a medical card would not be adversely affected by this increase. I have asked the HSE to monitor the situation and to advise me if it considers that changes in the rates of social welfare payments may affect people's ability to qualify for a medical card.

Although increases in income may have an impact on a person's eligibility for a medical card it should be noted that the medical card assessment process does take into account certain allowable expenses such as mortgage costs, travel-to-work costs and childcare costs, which may also vary over time. Furthermore, if a person's sole income is derived from a social welfare payment, even where this is more than the current means threshold, he/she will be awarded a medical card.