Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 163: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if a person who is over 70 years and widowed in late 2008 will qualify for a medical card for three years if his or her income is less than €1,400; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2494/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Under the Health Act 2008, automatic entitlement to a medical card for persons aged 70 or over ceased 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 is €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. The Act also allows for a surviving spouse of a person covered by the over 70 medical card to retain the medical card for a period of 3 years provided that:

the death occurred on or after 1st January 2009;

the surviving spouse/partner was aged 70 or over at the time of death;

he/she remains within the weekly income limits of €1,400.

At the expiry of the 3 year period, he/she will be assessed under the single income limit of €700.

Persons aged 70 or over who were widowed prior to the 1st January 2009 are assessed under the single person income threshold of €700 (gross) per week.