Written answers

Wednesday, 23 October 2013

Department of Health

Medical Card Eligibility

Photo of Brendan GriffinBrendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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204. To ask the Minister for Health if he will make the threshold announced in budget 2014 for over 70s medical card holders for married and cohabiting couples compatible with the threshold of single applicants in view of the inequity for couples; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44923/13]

Photo of Alex WhiteAlex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The Government recognises that the living costs of an individual living alone are more than half the living costs of a couple living together. This is acknowledged through the provision of the Living Alone Allowance and differential income limits for medical cards for persons aged under 70 years between individuals and couples. In that context, the over-70s income limit for a single person has been reduced proportionately less than the income limit for a couple.

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