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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 5 Nov 2002

Vol. 556 No. 3

Written Answers. - Medical Cards.

Seymour Crawford

Ceist:

542 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cavan, from a low income family and still at college in Galway, should be excluded from their family's drug card simply because they are over 23 years of age and are without personal income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20211/02]

Under the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2001 a "dependent member of the family" in relation to a person means any child who is under the age of 18 years and is not a person with full eligibility or, if the child has attained that age and is or will be receiving full-time education or instruction at any university, college, school or other educational establishment and is under the age of 23 years, or has a mental or physical disability to such extent that it is not reasonably possible for the child to maintain himself or herself fully and is not a person with full eligibility.

A person over the age of 18 years and who is not in full-time education, or a person who is over the age of 23 years and is in full-time education, can of course avail of the drug payment scheme in his or her own right or may be eligible for a medical card.
People who cannot, without undue hardship, arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants may be entitled to a medical card. Eligibility for a medical card is solely a matter for the chief executive officer of the relevant health board to decide. In determining eligibility, the chief executive officer has regard to the applicant's financial circumstances. Health boards use income guidelines to assist in determining eligibility. However, where a person's income exceeds the guidelines, a medical card may be awarded if the chief executive officer considers that the person's medical needs or other circumstances would justify this. Medical cards may also be issued to individual family members on this basis.
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