Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this issue. People aged 16 to 25 years, including students, who are financially independent of their parents may be entitled to a medical card if they pass the means test. If they are financially dependent on their parents, they are normally only entitled to a medical card if their parents have one. They may be entitled to a medical card or a GP visit card if obtaining GP, medical or surgical services would be the cause of "undue hardship" or "unduly burdensome" on themselves, if financially independent, or the person on whom they are dependent. Financial independence, as it relates to persons aged between 16 and 25 years, is the standard rate of income set out in the HSE's medical card or GP visit card national assessment guidelines for a single person living with family, that is, €164. Financial independence may be achieved through student loans, education grants, employment, self-employment, part-time employment, savings or social welfare payments. Rent supplement payments are not included in establishing financial independence. Historically, when there was a single rate of social welfare allowance in the Department of Social Protection, the HSE used this rate to establish financial independence. However, under budget 2014, with the age-related rates of jobseeker's allowance set by the Department of Social Protection, the HSE's test to establish financial independence is no longer linked with social welfare allowance rates.

To reiterate, financial independence is defined as "in receipt of income equivalent to or greater than the current income guideline for a single person living with family", that is, €164 per week. The current national assessment guidelines state an applicant whose weekly income is derived solely from social welfare allowances, benefits or Health Service Executive allowances will be granted a medical card if this social welfare income is in excess of the medical card income qualifying limit that applies to the application. Social welfare payments being made at a rate less than the maximum weekly rate may be indicative of other income or means. This provision cannot be relied on by persons aged 16 to 25 years receiving only social welfare income less than €164 per week as entitling them to a medical card. There are no proposals to change the income thresholds for standard means-tested medical card eligibility.