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Medical Cards

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 May 2012

Wednesday, 16 May 2012

Ceisteanna (37, 38)

John Halligan

Ceist:

32 Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health the reason a person in Dublin, participating in the fair deal scheme, has had their medical card taken away when (details supplied), the only way to try and get the medical card is for the person to resubmit all these income details and go through the lengthy reassessment process while being charged by the nursing home for incontinence wear, medication and frequent visits to the doctor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24223/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceist:

55 Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin, participating in the fair deal scheme, has had their medical card taken away when, as a participant in the scheme they are liable to pay 80% of their income to the nursing home and is therefore effectively below the income limits that would leave them ineligible for a medical card and the way, despite the fact that the Health Service Executive is in charge of both the medical card and the fair deal schemes and therefore have all their income details, the only way to try and get the medical card is for the person to resubmit all these income details and go through the lengthy reassessment process while being charged by the nursing home for incontinence wear, medication and frequent visits to the doctor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24220/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

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.

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