Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have every sympathy with the Senator's matter on the Adjournment. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy White. I thank the Senator for raising this issue. The Senator may be aware that approximately 40% of the population, or almost 2 million people, qualify for a medical card or GP visit card. The scale of the administration of the general medical services, GMS, scheme is very significant. The people in the PCRS are doing a very good job although the scale of the job is significant. Over 700,000 individuals were assessed by the HSE in 2013 and well in excess of 95% of completed applications were processed within the target of 15 working days. The HSE is now completing medical card reviews for approximately 86,000 individuals per month.

The HSE operates under the legislative framework of the Health Act 1970, as subsequently amended. In the interest of probity, the HSE is obliged to ensure that a person's eligibility is correctly recorded in line with the eligibility legislation and the national guidelines. The HSE aims to ensure that every person who is entitled to a medical card or a GP visit card is given the opportunity to avail of his or her entitlement. The current structured processes in operation in the PCRS concerning medical and GP visit card applications, reviews and appeals must be supported with a range of documentation, as outlined on the application forms. The processing time for incomplete applications is dependent on the furnishing of the required supporting documentation by the applicant. I understand the Senator's point on that. Where such supporting documentation is not supplied or is incomplete to enable the assessment of an application in accordance with the national assessment guidelines, the HSE will issue correspondence to the applicant, specifying the additional information required to progress the assessment of their application.

It is important to be aware of the protection in place for persons undergoing a review even where delays occur. First, any medical card holder undergoing a review to renew a medical card, who genuinely engages with the HSE, will not have his or her entitlement withdrawn before the review is complete, regardless of the expiry date shown on the medical card. Second, in cases where a decision is made not to grant a medical card, the applicant is informed of the decision and is notified of his or her right to appeal this decision. Contact details for the appeals office are provided to the person. Where a person submits an appeal to a decision not to renew a medical card within 21 days of that decision, he or she also retains the medical card or GP visit card until the appeal is decided.

Efforts are also being made to improve the quality of medical card processing through increased cooperation between State agencies. Increased data sharing between the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Social Protection and the HSE has the potential to reduce the level of documents and information required from families as their eligibility status is reviewed. The processing of medical card applications and reviews is continuously monitored by the HSE. The Senator may be aware that, each week, the HSE publishes the turnaround time for medical card processing and this data is available on the PCRS website. In view of the assessment processes involved, I am satisfied that every effort is made to assist, support and facilitate persons undergoing review and, particularly, in a timely fashion. I do understand the Senator's point and will convey his thoughts to the relevant Minister.