Vol. 483 No. 2
43 Mr. Farrelly asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will increase the income limit to allow many families still on the breadline to become eligible for a medical card; if the health boards will review this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19793/97]
Under the Health Act, 1970, medical cards are issued to persons who, in the opinion of the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board, are unable, without undue hardship, to provide general practitioner medical and surgical services for themselves and their dependants.
Income guidelines are drawn up by the chief executive officers to assist in the determination of a person's eligibility and these guidelines are revised annually in line with the consumer price index. However, the guidelines are not statutorily binding and even though a person's income exceeds the guidelines, he-she may still be awarded a medical card if the chief executive officer considers that his-her medical needs or other circumstances would justify this. Assessment procedures are also a matter for the chief executive officers.
Notwithstanding these arrangements the Government has identified as a key priority a review of medical card eligibility for the elderly and large families in An Action Programme for the Millennium and my Department is currently making the necessary arrangements to advance this review with the health boards.
