Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 251: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has plans to increase the full medical card qualification threshold. [31160/07]

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 252: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the annual cost of increasing the full medical card threshold to €337.35 per week for 2008 in order that all those on the minimum wage would qualify. [31162/07]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 259: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the date in 2008 on which the income limits for medical cards are due to be reviewed; if provision has been made within the pre-Budget 2008 outlook for the indexation of income limits; if the index of industrial wages will be used; and if the movement in the most recent twelve months as published on 31 October 2007 by the Central Statistics Office is what is intended by the Programme for Government. [31197/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 251, 252 and 259 together.

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. As of 1st November 2007, the number of persons holding a medical card exceeded 1.27 million, an increase of some 125,000 since the beginning of 2005.

My Department does not hold data which would enable it to assess the effect, and hence estimate the cost, of increasing the medical card threshold to €337.35 per week in order that all those on the minimum wage would qualify. However, based on a recent medical card costing exercise undertaken by my Department, on foot of a Parliamentary Question, it is estimated that the average annual cost of providing a medical card to a person aged between 18 and 65 years is approximately €1,200 per annum.

This figure does not take account of the following:

Potential additional cost in terms of income forgone by public hospitals in respect of A&E attendance and in-patient charges;

The possible cost, depending on the circumstances of a person retaining a medical card, of such benefits as aids and appliances;

Costs in other areas of Government in which the holding of a medical card may be used as a means of determining entitlement to services or benefits.

The Programme for Government commits to the following:

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

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;

Allowing people with disabilities to work without losing key essential medical card cover after 3 years;

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.

My Department is at present considering the most appropriate approach to the implementation of these commitments. In addition my Department and the HSE will continue to monitor on an ongoing basis factors which may have a bearing on the setting of the qualification thresholds for a medical card or GP visit card, such as changes in income levels generally, the nature of typical household outgoings and changes to the various social welfare schemes.

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.