I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 55 together.
Under the Health Act 2008, automatic entitlement to a medical card for persons aged 70 and over ended on 31st December 2008. With effect from 1st January 2009, the income thresholds for those aged 70 and over are €700 (gross) per week (€36,500 per year) for a single person and €1,400 (gross) per week (€73,000 per year) for a couple (married couples and couples living together as husband and wife).
In early January 2009, 164,142 letters were sent by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to medical card holders aged 70 or over asking them to inform the Executive by March 2009 if their gross weekly exceeds the specified income thresholds. The person named by the Deputy in this Parliamentary Question declared their income as being above the income threshold and returned their medical card to the HSE and the card was subsequently cancelled.
This person can now submit a new application for a medical card and their application can be considered under the Nation Income Guidelines for Medical Cards / GP Visit Cards where nursing home charges can be taken into consideration. Fully completed application forms received by the central office in PCRS are processed within 15 working days.