asked the Minister for Health the guidelines in operation in each health board area in determining eligibility for a medical card.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Medical Card Eligibility.
4.
As the answer is in the form of a tabular statement I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to circulate it with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
Standards adopted as guidelines by all health boards with effect from 1st January, 1974:
|
Per Week |
|
|
Single Person Living Alone |
£14.00 |
|
Single Person Living with Family |
£12.00 |
|
Married Couple |
£20.00 |
|
Allowance per Child under 16 years |
£1.75 |
|
Allowance for Other Dependants |
£2.75 |
|
Allowance per outgoings on House Excess over |
£2.00 |
|
Other Allowance |
Reasonable expenses necessarily incurred in travelling to work. |
NOTE 1—Persons in receipt of the following pensions and allowances under the Social Welfare and Health Acts are regarded as eligible for medical cards without any further assessment of means;—Old Age (Care) Allowance; Old Age (Non-Contributory) Pension; Widows' (Non-Contributory) Pension; Orphans' (Non-Contributory) Pension; Deserted Wife's Allowance; Blind Pension. In addition to the above the following in certain areas are also regarded as eligible for medical cards without any further assessment of means:—Persons in receipt of Infectious Diseases (Maintenance) Allowances, Disabled Persons (Maintenance) Allowance, (South Eastern, Southern and North Western) and Home Assistance (as a basic income) in the South Eastern Health Board area.
NOTE 2—Farmers: Valuation as such is not the sole determining factor in assessing applications from farmers. Individual cases are assessed on all relevant factors including income, in accordance with the above standards.