During the last general election campaign I met a woman who told me that she could not bring her ill son to the doctor until she was paid. That is outrageous and it put her son's health at risk. Many parents face that dilemma. Older people on very low incomes can be above the income limit for a medical card if a spouse works part-time. They often must decide not to visit the doctor because of the cost involved. The long-term cost implication is that the care of the person concerned will be a greater cost to the health service in the future.