Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 265: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the policies she has put in place to extend medical card coverage; her plans for the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19763/07]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 416: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on aligning the medical card income guidelines with social welfare budget increases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20842/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 and 416 together.

Changes to the medical card assessment guidelines are made from time to time, primarily to ensure that people whose general circumstances have not changed can maintain their entitlement. Such periodic adjustments have not involved a linkage with the social welfare system. Under the current assessment arrangements, persons whose sole income is derived from Department of Social and Family Affairs payments or HSE payments, even if these exceed the assessment guidelines, qualify for a medical card.

My Department and the HSE monitor the number of medical cards and GP visit cards on an ongoing basis and the need for changes to the guidelines is kept under review, having regard to factors such as changes in income levels generally, the nature of typical household outgoings and also changes to the various social welfare schemes.

Since the beginning of 2005 I have introduced a number of significant changes to the manner in which the assessment for medical cards and GP visit cards is undertaken. The assessment guidelines have been increased by a cumulative 29%. Applications are now considered on the basis of income net of tax and PRSI and allowance is made for reasonable expenses incurred in respect of mortgage/rent, childcare and travel to work. In June 2006, I agreed with the Health Service Executive (HSE) a further adjustment to the assessment guidelines for GP visit cards and these are now 50% higher than those used in respect of medical cards.

Between January 2005 and September 2007 a net additional 188,308 people have qualified for access to GP services free of charge. This figure comprises an additional 114,723 people with a medical card and a further 73,585 people with a GP visit card.

The Programme for Government commits to the following:

Indexing the income thresholds for medical cards to increases in the average industrial wage;

Implementation of an annual publicity campaign and making applications easier so as to increase uptake amongst those who are eligible for Medical Cards and GP Visit Cards;

Doubling of the income limit eligibility of parents of children under 6 years of age, and trebling them for parents of children under 18 years of age with an intellectual disability.

My Department is at present considering the steps required to enable these commitments to be implemented.

My Department is also examining the steps necessary to give effect to the Towards 2016 commitment to review the eligibility criteria for the assessment of medical cards in the context of medical, social and economic/financial need with a view to clarifying entitlement to a medical card.