Written answers
Wednesday, 21 November 2007
Department of Health and Children
Medical Cards
9:00 pm
Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context
Question 179: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of medical cards issued in each year since 2000 to date in 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30253/07]
Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context
Question 180: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the percentage of the population issued with medical cards since 1997 to date in 2007 in view of her Department's agreement with the IMO; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30254/07]
Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context
I propose to take Questions Nos. 179 and 180 together.
Details of the number of medical card and GP visit card holders are provided to my Department each month by the Health Service Executive. The figures are provided on a net basis showing the balance after new cards have been issued and other cards, as appropriate, have been deleted from the Executive's database, e.g. following a review of an applicant's circumstances. The following table shows the number of persons and percentage of the population who were medical card holders at the end of each year from 1997 to 2006, and at 31st October 2007.
| Year | No. of Medical Cards | Percentage of Population |
| % | ||
| 1997 (as at 31st Dec. 1997) | 1,219,852 | 33.64 |
| 1998 (as at 31st Dec. 1998) | 1,183,554 | 31.95 |
| 1999 (as at 31st Dec. 1999) | 1,164,187 | 31.42 |
| 2000 (as at 31st Dec. 2000) | 1,148,055 | 30.32 |
| 2001 (as at 31st Dec. 2001) | 1,199,454 | 31.24 |
| 2002 (as at 31st Dec. 2002) | 1,164,453 | 29.73 |
| 2003 (as at 31st Dec. 2003) | 1,152,908 | 29.43 |
| 2004 (as at 31st Dec. 2004) | 1,145,083 | 29.23 |
| 2005 (as at 12th Jan. 2006) | 1,155,727 | 29.50 |
| 2006 (as at 31st Dec. 2006) | 1,221,695 | 28.85 |
| 2007 (as at 31st Oct. 2007) | 1,270,873 | 29.97 |
The HSE (and before 2005 the health boards) have undertaken a substantial programme of work in recent years to improve data quality in the GMS client database. For example, in 2003 and 2004, work carried out by the health boards led to a deletion of approximately 104,000 inappropriate entries where, for example, there were duplicate entries for the same person, the expiry date on the card had passed, the person had moved away or was deceased. This exercise did not involve any reduction in the actual number of people who held medical cards but rather resulted in a more accurate picture of the number of individuals in receipt of GP services under the GMS Scheme.
In addition to the availability of medical cards, in 2005 the GP visit card was introduced as a graduated benefit so that people on moderate and lower incomes, particularly parents of young children, who do not qualify for a medical card would not be deterred on cost grounds from visiting their GP. At 31st October 2007, 74,761 people held a GP visit card. Therefore, 31.74% of the national population currently have free access to GP services through either the medical card or GP visit card.
No comments