Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 282: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that 4,000 applications for renewal of medical card are being renewed in the Waterford community care area on a monthly basis pending processing due to the staff shortages which only allow for new cases to be processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8062/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 283: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the details of the means test for a medical card for persons under 70 years regarding the treatment of savings and investments. [8070/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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Under the Health Service Executive's Medical Card / GP Visit Card National Assessment Guidelines, savings or similar investments up to the first €36,000 for a single person and up to the first €72,000 for a couple are disregarded in the assessment process for eligibility to a medical card. The Guidelines also state: - The next €10,000 is assessed at 1 Euro per week per €1,000. - The next €10,000 is assessed at 2 Euro per week per €1,000. - Savings in excess of the above are assessed at 4 Euro per week per €1,000. Alternatively, where an applicant wishes, he/she can have the actual rate applied by the bank / institution if he/she provides a certificate of interest paid on savings in the last full calendar year and the HSE will apply this method of assessment. In respect of fixed term or long term savings products that apply the interest after a fixed number of years, and if the applicant so wishes, the Executive can take account of the interest earned in the year of maturity of the investment or can apply its notional rate to determine the income. The HSE's Central Application Unit reviews the notional rate on a quarterly basis.