Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Recently, the HSE made cuts to primary eye care for medical card patients. Under the medical card scheme, a patient can get an eye test every two years, or on a yearly basis if there is a medical need. This was written into the contract opticians have with the HSE. Opticians in Tullow, Carlow and Bagenalstown have contacted me to tell me how they have used the scheme to examine patients with eye issues that can be monitored locally rather than requiring a hospital appointment the wait for which, as the Minister knows, can be lengthy. This scheme is not being continued. I do not understand the confusion. In the budget we extended dental care to all medical card holders, which I welcomed. However, people who have medical cards will now not receive eye care. I am constantly highlighting the fact that some doctors are charging people with medical cards for blood tests. This is unacceptable. We need to make sure that those who have medical cards, who are the most vulnerable, are looked after. During the pandemic some dentists did not take patients with medical cards. Can we look at changing the contracts with the HSE? What is happening is unacceptable and absolutely ridiculous.

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