Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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195. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to put in place a scheme for long-term-chronic illness that will give a person automatic entitlement to a medical card (details supplied). [17145/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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Under the provisions of the Health Acts, medical cards are provided to persons who are, in the opinion of the Health Service Executive, unable without undue hardship to arrange GP services for themselves and their dependants. Under the legislation, there is no entitlement to a medical card based on having a particular disease or illness (nor has there been previously).

The HSE is obliged to operate within the legal parameters as set out in the Health Act, while also responding to the variety of circumstances and complexities faced by individuals who apply for a medical card. However, if an applicant’s means are above the financial thresholds as set out in the national guidelines, the HSE routinely examines for indications of medical or social circumstances which might result in undue financial hardship in arranging medical services and, exercising discretion, may grant eligibility for a medical card on this basis.

The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this specific matter raised and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.

The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.