Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the criteria for which people with long term illness are granted medical cards and the basis where decisions are made as to whether a medical card should be for 12 months, 18 months, 3 years and so on; the situation in respect of a family medical card and the criteria covering various lengths for which a medical card is issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19061/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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In general, eligibility for medical cards and GP visit cards is determined following an examination of the means of the applicant and his/her dependants (income and relevant outgoings). The main exception is persons aged 70 and over, who have an automatic statutory entitlement to a medical card. The GP visit card assessment threshold is 50% higher than the medical card threshold.

The Health Service Executive has informed me that it has detailed operational guidelines in place for the assessment of medical card applications. The purpose of these is to ensure that every person entitled to a medical card or GP visit card is given the opportunity to avail of their entitlement and that there is a consistency of approach to means-testing nationally. I am informed that the guidelines include provisions dealing with medical card review dates. The guiding principle is to set a date in each case at which an income/dependency change or other change could reasonably be expected to occur which would affect eligibility.