(Dublin South-Central) asked the Minister for Health if he will consider granting medical cards to all recipients of old age pensions.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Health Cards for Pensioners.
100.
Persons in receipt of non-contributory old age pensions are automatically granted medical cards on application to the appropriate health authority.
Persons in receipt of contributory old age pensions which, of course, are paid without regard to means, are given medical cards if they cannot afford to provide general practitioner care for themselves and their dependants.
Did the Minister say that non-contributory pensioners are entitled to medical cards?
Automatically.
Does he mean those getting full pensions or portions of pensions?
All old age non-contributory pensioners.
A non-contributory pensioner might be in receipt of 7/6d. a week and could have much more substantial income than a contributory pensioner. How does it apply?
All non-contributory pensioners, no matter what the circumstances, automatically get medical cards. Usually, the contributory pensioners have got them.