Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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224. To ask the Minister for Health the statutory basis for the current procedures applied by the PCRS when assessing undue hardship and unduly burdensome [20894/13]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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Under the Health Act 1970, as amended, the HSE is responsible for assessing an individual's entitlement to a medical card and a GP visit card. Section 45 provides that adult persons who, in the opinion of the HSE are unable, without due hardship, to arrange general practitioner medical and surgical services for themselves and their dependents are deemed to be persons with full eligibility.

Section 58 provides that the HSE will make available general practitioner medical and surgical services for adult persons and their dependents for whom, in the opinion of the HSE, it would be unduly burdensome for those persons to arrange such services. In deciding whether or not a person comes with these categories, the HSE shall have regard to the person's overall financial situation in view of the person's reasonable expenditure, including his or her dependents.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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225. To ask the Minister for Health if he will confirm that the PCRS are now applying the new DPS thresholds in their determination of medical costs when assessing medical card applications [20895/13]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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I can confirm that the DPS monthly threshold is considered in the overall assessment of applications for a medical card/GP Visit Card in the determination of medical costs where an applicant provides supporting documentation to indicate that he/she -or dependents - have a medical condition.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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226. To ask the Minister for Health if he will confirm that the PCRS are now applying the new prescription charge rates in their determination of medical costs when assessing medical card applications [20896/13]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The prescription charges, referred to by the Deputy, only apply to persons who have eligibility under the GMS Scheme.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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227. To ask the Minister for Health the statutory basis for the PCRS policy of not allowing for the cost of the new property tax when determining net income for the purposes of a medical card assessment when all other taxes that can be deducted from salary are so allowed. [20897/13]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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Under the Health Act 1970, as amended, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is responsible for assessing an individual's entitlement to a medical card and a GP visit card. Section 45 of the Act provides that adult persons who, in the opinion of the HSE are unable, without due hardship, to arrange general practitioner medical and surgical services for themselves and their dependents are deemed to be persons with full eligibility.

Section 58 of the Act provides that the HSE will make available general practitioner medical and surgical services for adult persons and their dependents for whom, in the opinion of the HSE, it would be unduly burdensome for those persons to arrange such services. The HSE has set out National Assessment Guidelines outlining what is included in the assessment process and the Local Property Tax is not included.