Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to contribute briefly to the Second Stage debate on the Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Bill 2013. The purpose of the Bill is to amend the Health Act 1970, as amended, to change the eligibility rules for medical cards for persons aged 70 years and over. The legislation will come into operation immediately on enactment.

The Bill sets the gross income limit for assessment for an over 70s medical card from 1 January 2014 at €500 per week in the case of a single person and €900 per week for a couple. Cuts in relation to medical cards for the over 70s is an appalling betrayal of people in that age category. The move by the Minister, Deputy Reilly, to restrict eligibility to the over 70s medical card is a shameless betrayal of their position. Some 35,000 people over 70 are being betrayed by the Government. The Minister, Deputy Reilly, is robbing grandparents to give free GP care to their grandchildren.

Dr. Ray Walley of the Irish Medical Organisation stated:

I fear widespread chaos over the coming months as the HSE start their 'purge' of medical cards on foot of the Budget directions. This is a question of priorities and in health we have to focus scarce resources on those who need our help most.

I agree with that statement. This move is negative, counterproductive and impacts the elderly, the people who have shaped and created our nation. This is unfair and it should not and will not be tolerated.

In recent weeks, I have been contacted by a number of constituents who are concerned about the implications for them of this legislation. Under budget 2014 medical cards will be withdrawn from 35,000 people over 70. That is an official estimate from the Department of Health. As such, in the region of one in ten over 70 medical card holders will be affected. It must be remembered that this reduction comes on top of the removal of 20,000 over 70 medical cards under budget 2013. At that time the Department of Health estimated 360,000 people aged over 70 held medical cards. The fact is that over two budgets medical cards will have been withdrawn from approximately 55,000 people aged over 70. To say that approximately 11,000 or 3% of people have been impacted is simply not true.

Where is the fairness about which the Minister continually speaks? This Bill is not fair: it is wrong, pure and simple. This legislation will bring 150,000 people over the income limit and while they are still set to receive free GP care, they will have to pay for prescription medication. In July 2013, the number of individuals eligible for a medical card in circumstances where the HSE exercised some element of discretion was 56,245 as compared to 80,524 at the start of 2011. Is this cull of 24,279 over two and a half years just the start? What is coming next?

In its last election manifesto, Fine Gael, in terms of its new vision for the country, promised to introduce better care services. In relation to terminal illnesses and medical cards, Fine Gael said it would expedite the medical card application process for people with terminal illnesses and would also consider abandoning the medical card means test for people with terminal illnesses. This has not been done.

I spoke on a Topical Issue matter a few months back and the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, responded as follows:

Under the legislation, there is provision for discretion by the HSE to grant a medical card where a person's income exceeds the income guidelines. The HSE takes a person's social and medical issues into account in determining whether "undue hardship" exists for a person in providing a health service for himself or herself or his or her dependants.

This is not fair. This is unjust and wrong. What are the Minister of State's thoughts for the 150,000 people who will suffer the impact of this? We must look at the human element rather than the overall figure of cuts, cuts and more cuts. People's lives will be affected. The role of a Deputy is to protect and serve the people. That is what we are trying to do today. There needs to be change so that these cuts will not go through.

The Irish Cancer Society states that a cancer diagnosis can have a significant adverse financial impact on patients and their families in Ireland. That is a serious matter for consideration by the Minister of State.

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