Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 December 2018
216. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the average time for processing and deciding a medical card application; if his attention has been drawn to the widespread concerns about the delays that are occurring for many applicants who, due to serious health ailments, need medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51063/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra217. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health when additional resources will be provided to ensure that medical card applications are processed and finalised in a timely manner; if his attention has been drawn to the widespread concern about the delays in having such applications processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51064/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra248. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which the administration of medical cards can be streamlined with a view to speeding up the turnaround, and in respect of discretionary cards to eliminate repeated requests for further information which have no bearing on the outcome other than the patient having a life threatening condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51215/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 216, 217 and 248 together.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) National Medical Card Unit (NMCU) has responsibility over the management of staffing levels to ensure sufficient medical card turnaround times. I have been assured by the HSE’s National Medical Card Unit that there are currently no delays in the processing of medical applications for any category of applicant, either new, or for those which relate to a review.
In that regard it should be noted that in the period January 2018 to date the HSE’s National Medical Card Unit has consistently met its key performance target to have 95% of complete medical card applications assessed for eligibility within 15 days and that they are currently processing all processing fully completed applications within the 15 working days across all application form types.
However, there will be situations where the application process may take longer than the 15 day target time. In some cases, as part of the assessment process, applicants will be required to provide additional documentation to enable the National Medical Card Unit to access whether a person is unable, without due hardship, to arrange general practitioner services for himself or herself and his or her family. Every effort is made for on-going engagement between the HSE and applicants during this process.
Furthermore, additional time may be required to process applications in situations where an applicant’s income exceeds the medical card threshold and is then assessed by the National Medical Card Unit for a discretionary medical card. In this situation, in order to take full account of the difficult circumstances which may apply, additional information, such as evidence of the extra costs arising from an illness, will be requested from the applicant. In this situation the National Medical Card Unit affords applicants every opportunity to furnish supporting information documentation to fully take account of all the relevant circumstances that may benefit them in the assessment, including medical evidence of cost and necessary expenses.
The HSE has also put in place a number of new measures which is orientated towards improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the medical card application process. On the 15 January the HSE launched its new Medical Card online service medicalcard.ie. This new system enables people to make online applications for a medical card that is faster and more convenient than the current paper based system.
