Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 90: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her response to the submission made to her by an organisation (details supplied) prior to budget 2009; if she will address the financial problems amputees have as a result of unavoidable expenses such as the cost of €10,000 for a prosthetic leg. [45797/08]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 108: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her response to a submission from an organisation (details supplied) to address the financial problems faced by amputees as a result of the cost of prosthetic limbs and other costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45796/08]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 and 108 together.

The pre budget submission sought the provision of medical cards to all amputees. I have no plans to provide for the granting of medical cards to any particular group as a whole.

Medical cards are made available by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to persons and their dependants who would otherwise experience undue hardship in meeting the cost of General Practitioner (GP) services. 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).

In assessing a medical card/GP visit card application, the HSE uses guidelines based on people's means which includes their income after tax and PRSI, and takes account of reasonable expenses incurred in respect of rent or mortgage payments, childcare and travel to work. The assessment process also takes account of other factors, such as medical or social need, which may impact on people's ability to meet the cost of GP services.

My Department is currently reviewing all legislation relating to eligibility for health and personal social services with a view to making the system as fair and transparent as possible. The Eligibility Review Team was established in my Department in 2005, to begin working on a new legislative framework to provide for clear statutory provisions on eligibility for health and personal social services. As part of this work the Department is reviewing the eligibility criteria for the assessment of medical cards in the context of financial, medical and social need in line with the commitment in Towards 2016 to clarify entitlement to a medical card. A Steering Group has been established to carry out this work and is expected to complete its work within the next few months.

Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 91: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the amount of savings which a person can have before they are excluded from entitlement to a medical card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45908/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Medical cards are made available by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to persons and their dependants who would otherwise experience undue hardship in meeting the cost of General Practitioner (GP) services. 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).

In assessing a medical card/GP visit card application for a person aged under 70, the HSE uses guidelines based on people's means which includes their income after tax and PRSI, and takes account of reasonable expenses incurred in respect of rent or mortgage payments, childcare and travel to work. The assessment process also takes account of other factors, such as medical or social need, which may impact on people's ability to meet the cost of GP services.

The HSE's guidelines provide that for persons aged under 70, saving are currently assessed on the following basis: — The first €20,000 of savings/investments for a single person will be disregarded and €40,000 for a couple will be disregarded. — The next €10,000 is assessed as an income of €1 per week per €1,000. — The next €10,000 is assessed as an income of €2 per week per €1,000. — Savings/Investments in excess of the above are assessed as an income of €4 per week per €1,000.

For persons aged 70 and over, the Government's proposal, to be effected in legislation, is that automatic entitlement to a medical card for this cohort will end on 31st December 2008, and with effect from 1st January, 2009, the income thresholds for entitlement to a medical card for those aged 70 and over will be €700 (gross) per week (€36,500 per year) for a single person and €1,400 (gross) per week (€73,000 per year) for a couple. Persons whose income is above the specified thresholds will have until 2nd March 2009 to advise the Health Service Executive that their income is above those limits. After that date, their medical card will no longer be valid.

As part of the means test for persons aged 70 or over after 1st January 2009, any savings and similar investments up to €36,000 (single) / €72,000 (couple) will be disregarded and only interest from savings or similar investments above these figures will be considered as income for means testing purposes.