Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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258. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding entitlement to a doctor-only card for those aged over 70 who lose their medical card on review; if there is an automatic entitlement to a doctor-only card in these circumstances; and the specific legislative provision for the policy of allowing former medical card holders to retain an entitlement to a doctor-only card. [15865/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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Persons who lose full eligibility under the gross income limits for an over -70s medical card will continue to be able to access GP services without charges, once all applicable criteria are met. A single person over 70 years old with a gross income of up to €700 per week will continue to qualify for free access to a GP. A couple over 70 years old with a gross income of up to €1,400 per week also qualifies for a GP service without fees.

Section 7 of the Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Act 2013 amended the Health Act 1970 to include a new section - Section 58A - which provided for an over-70s GP visit card. New applicants, or those under review, qualify for the over-70s GP visit card once the criteria set out under Section 58A are met.