Vol. 512 No. 1
186 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will exempt people from losing benefits, for example, medical card and fuel allowance who sell their private houses to the local authority or privately and get a senior citizen flat under the financial contribution scheme in view of the fact they are recycling houses and are now being penalised by the revision of means from the proceeds of house sales; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25660/99]
Under the Health Act, 1970, determination of eligibility for medical cards is the responsibility of the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board. Medical cards are issued to persons who, in the opinion of the chief executive officer, are unable to provide general practitioner medical and surgical services for themselves and their dependants without undue hardship.
Income guidelines have been drawn up by the chief executive officers to assist in the determination of a person's eligibility and these are revised annually in line with the consumer price index. However, these guidelines are not statutorily binding and even though a person's income exceeds the guidelines, a medical card may still be awarded if the chief executive officer considers that his or her medical needs or other circumstances would justify this.
Any investments or savings that could or should generate an income are taken into account in assessing income for medical card purposes. Interest from savings is taken into account but after that it is general practice to disallow a modest amount of savings when assessing the amount of savings-assets which could be redeemed as an income.
As the Deputy knows the Government has decided that the income guidelines for entitlement to medical cards for persons aged 70 years or over should be doubled. This improvement, which is being introduced over a three year period, began on 1 March. The income guidelines for those aged 70 to 79 and 80 years and over, which are already higher than the normal guidelines, have increased by one third and there will be similar increases in 2000 and 2001.
The issue regarding fuel allowance is being dealt with separately by my colleague, the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs.
