Written answers

Wednesday, 24 September 2008

Department of Health and Children

Medical Cards

9:00 pm

Photo of Joe CostelloJoe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 403: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29568/08]

Photo of Mary HarneyMary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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In recent years there have been significant improvements to the way in which people's eligibility for medical cards and GP visit cards is assessed. Since the beginning of 2005, the qualification guidelines have increased by a cumulative 29% (7.5% and 20% in January and October 2005 respectively). Assessment is now based on a person's and, where relevant, his/her spouse's income after tax and PRSI, and takes account of reasonable expenses incurred in respect of rent or mortgage payments, childcare and travel to work. In June 2006, there was a further increase in the qualification threshold for the GP visit card to 50% above that for a medical card. Furthermore, under the assessment guidelines, persons whose weekly incomes are derived solely from Department of Social and Family Affairs payments or HSE payments, even if these exceed the stated threshold, qualify for a medical card.

The Programme for Government includes 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.

In conjunction with the development of a new legislative framework to provide for clear statutory provisions on eligibility for health and personal social services, my Department is reviewing the assessment criteria in the context of financial, medical and social need in line with the commitment in Towards 2016. A Steering Group has been established to report to me on this matter. Upon completion of this report it is my intention to then consider how best to progress the commitments in the Programme for Government in relation to medical card eligibility.

As the Health Service Executive has the operational and funding responsibility for the medical card and GP visit card benefits, it is the appropriate body to consider the particular case raised by the Deputy. My Department has therefore requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to address this matter and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

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