Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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588. To ask the Minister for Health if he will consider introducing a system whereby a person's local general practitioner could sign off on the renewal of a medical card for a patient with substantial medical needs, in view of the fact that the person's condition would be known to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22194/13]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The Health Service Executive operates under the legislative framework of the Health Act of 1970, as subsequently amended. In the interest of probity, the HSE is obliged to ensure that a person’s eligibility is correctly recorded in line with the eligibility legislation and the national guidelines and, in this regard, periodically asks card holders to confirm their circumstances. The HSE aims to ensure that every person who is entitled to the medical card schemes is given the opportunity to avail of their entitlement. Notwithstanding, cardholders are obliged to advise the HSE if there is a change in circumstances that could affect entitlement to a medical card. Where a discretionary medical card has been granted, it has, on average, a validity for two to three years, in line with standard Medical Cards/GP Visit Cards.