Written answers
Tuesday, 28 June 2005
Department of Health and Children
Medical Cards
10:00 pm
Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 188: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of persons with medical card cover aged under 70 from 1998 to date; the percentage of the relevant population this represents; and the number of persons with medical card cover aged 70 and over. [22070/05]
Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The figures requested by the Deputy for 1998 to 2000 were not kept in this format by the Health Service Executive's primary care reimbursement service, formerly the GMS (payments) board. The number of persons with medical cards aged under 70 years from 2001 to date and the percentage of the relevant population this represents is set out in the following table:
| Year ended | No. of persons with a medical card under 70 years of age | Percentage of relevant population |
| % | ||
| 2001 | 876,548 | 24.22 |
| 2002 | 851,371 | 23.56 |
| 2003 | 848,813 | 23.48 |
| 2004 | 831,986 | 22.24 |
| June 2005 | 825,544 | 22.07 |
The number of persons with medical cards aged 70 years and over, from 2001 to date is set out in the following table:
| Year ended | No. of persons with a medical card aged 70 years and over |
| 2001 | 322,906 |
| 2002 | 317,374 |
| 2003 | 309,330 |
| 2004 | 316,928 |
| June 2005 | 321,463 |
The reduction in numbers can be explained by a number of factors including the changed economic circumstances of the population. These changed circumstances have meant that many people are no longer eligible for a medical card on means grounds. The ongoing management and review of medical card databases by the Health Service Executive has also been a factor, with normal deletions being made to databases due to death, change in eligibility status or persons moving from one area to another.
Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 189: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the unit cost per prescription for a medical card holder from 1998 to 2004 and to date in 2005; and the difference in the cost for those under and over 70. [22071/05]
Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.
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