Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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210. To ask the Minister for Health the reason persons who are in their seventieth year cannot apply for a medical card for over seventies, in the months leading up to their seventieth birthday, which would ensure that they had the card received by their seventieth birthday, as opposed to the present practice whereby persons cannot apply for a medical card for over seventies, until they are actually seventy years of age, ensuring that persons do not get the over seventies medical card, until they are some months over this age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32324/13]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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I am advised by the HSE that people can apply for a medical card in the months leading up to their seventieth birthday. The application will be assessed under the National Income Guidelines for Over 70’s and will be put on hold until the day of their seventieth birthday. On this day the client will be notified of the outcome of this assessment.

The length of time that it takes for a client to receive a decision on their medical card application depends on (1) whether the client submitted a complete application or not, and (2) if not how quickly the applicant responds to the subsequent request for additional information. The Primary Care Reimbursement Services aims to process all medical cards within 15 days of receipt of the application.