Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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1032. To ask the Minister for Health the reason those applying for terminal medical cards are now being asked for information regarding their financial circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45661/13]

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. The legislation provides that 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.

Medical card eligibility is granted to persons on the basis of a notification having being received confirming a diagnosis of terminal illness and that the person concerned is at the end stage of that illness. No means test is applied to a person reporting end stage terminal illness.

On receipt of the report confirmation, a medical card issues within 24 hours to the person concerned for a period of six months. Moreover, it is open to the person concerned or their parents, in the case of a card issuing to a child, to make a full application for medical card eligibility before the expiry of the initial six month period of eligibility. In any event, renewal assessment forms automatically issue to the holders of all medical card or GP visit cards, three months prior to the expiry date of the card.