Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)

I would like the Minister to give a commitment on a few issues regarding the doctor only medical card and the full medical card. The doctor only medical card which is being introduced along side the full medical card is being seen as a means to give some help to those at the margins of entitlement to a medical card. Currently 1.1 million people have a full medical card and many of those patients are concerned that the Minister will try to substitute the full medical card with the doctor only medical card. Will the Minister draw up a minimum number of the population who will be entitled to a full medical card?

I would also like the Minister to clarify a statement I believe she made. She said a family comprising a mother, father and two children with an income of €850 per week would be entitled to a doctor only medical card. That would not seem to gel with the information I am getting from some of the local HSE offices when people apply for medical cards. The Minister is being a little generous and is including every entitlement going. She should make it clear that the income threshold is not €850 per week because many people will believe they are entitled to doctor only medical cards if they earn less than €850 per week which is, of course, far from the case.

Will the Minister give a commitment that full medical cards will not be substituted with doctor only medical cards in the years ahead because of this policy?

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