Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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500. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the threshold for the over 70s medical card is not doubled for a couple in view of the fact that many other tax credits and allowances are doubled for a couple; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52714/13]

Alex 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 and this is reflected, inter alia, through the provision of the Living Alone Increase 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.