James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 259: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her policy in relation to married couples in which one spouse is aged over 70 years and the other aged under 70 years; if the spouse under 70 years is subject to a means test; the number of people in receipt of a medical card on this basis over the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39323/08]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 260: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number, in relation to the revised arrangements for the over-70s medical card, of spouses her Department anticipate will be eligible for a medical card on the basis that their partner is over 70 years of age and they satisfy the means test; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39324/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 259 and 260 together.

At present, when a person aged 70 and over has a spouse aged under 70, the spouse will qualify for a medical card following a means test, if the couple's combined income is within the means thresholds of €596.50 (net) or €627.00 (net) depending on whether the over 70 medical card holder is aged 70-79 or 80 years or over respectively.

The Government recently announced the introduction of new income thresholds for entitlement to a medical card for those aged 70 and over of €700 (gross) per week for a single person and €1,400 (gross) for a couple with effect from 1st January 2009. The Government also announced that in cases where one member of a couple is aged 70 or over and the spouse is under 70, both will qualify for a medical card if their combined income is less than €1,400 (gross) per week.

The information sought by the Deputy in relation to the number of under 70 spouses over the last five years who qualified for a medical card based on the over 70 and over 80 married couple thresholds is not readily available to my Department or to the Health Service Executive (HSE), because primarily in such cases, the person aged 70 or over and their under 70 spouse received individual medical cards and were recorded separately on the HSE database.

Consequently, it is difficult to estimate, with absolute accuracy, the number of spouses under 70 years of age and married to a person aged 70 and over who will qualify for a medical card based on the new combined weekly income threshold of €1,400 applicable after 1st January 2009. However, given that the current weekly income thresholds for such spouses are net figures and the new increased combined threshold applicable after 1st January 2009 is a gross figure, it is not expected that the number of spouses who qualify for a medical card at present will vary significantly under the new arrangements.

In cases where a person aged 70 or over and their under 70 spouse hold medical cards under the existing arrangements but would not qualify under the new arrangements, the HSE may consider allocating a medical card on a discretionary basis if it considers they would otherwise be caused undue hardship in providing general medical and surgical services for themselves.