Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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747. To ask the Minister for Health the health cover options available to non-citizens planning to retire here (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8068/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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In relation to an individual's entitlement to publicly funded health care, eligibility for health services in Ireland is based primarily on residency and means. Determining whether a person is "ordinarily resident" is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE).

The Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides for two categories of eligibility for all persons ordinarily resident in the country, i.e. full eligibility (medical card) and limited eligibility (all others). Persons with full eligibility (medical card holders) are entitled to a range of services without charge, including general practitioner services, prescribed drugs and medicines, all in-patient public hospital services in public wards including consultants services, all out-patient public hospital services including consultants services, dental, ophthalmic and aural services and appliances and maternity and infant care services. People with limited eligibility (non-medical card holders) are entitled, subject to certain charges, to all in-patient public hospital services in public wards including consultant services and out-patient pubic hospital services including consultants services.

It is recommended, however, that the persons concerned, should contact the HSE local office in the area they want to move to (Dingle) and confirm how they might meet the conditions for ordinarily resident status if they wish to apply for public health care. In relation to private health insurance, Open Enrolment Regulations, made under the Health Insurance Acts, provide for maximum waiting periods for eligibility for payment under a health insurance contracting payments resulting from injury or accident, in respect of first entry to health insurance and in respect of pre-existing medical conditions. The maximum waiting periods that an insurer may apply under the legislation is as follows: 26 weeks, in respect of a person who is under the age of 55 years; 52 weeks, in respect of a person who is of or over the age of 55 years and under the age of 65 years; 104 weeks, in respect of a person who is 65 years and over.

In the case of "pre-existing" conditions the maximum waiting period for eligibility for payments under a health insurance contract is: 5 years, for a person who is under the age of 55 years; 7 years, for a person who is of or over the age of 55 years and under the age of 60 years; 10 years, for a person who is of or over the age of 60 years and under the age of 65 years.