Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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1027. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding over 70's medical card income limits in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33975/14]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Under the Health Act 2008, automatic entitlement to a medical card for persons aged 70 and over ended on 31 December 2008. Under the arrangements effected by the Act, a revised system of assessment for eligibility was introduced for those 70 years of age and over, based on the significantly higher gross income limits rather than the standard net income thresholds. This advantageous arrangement for persons aged over 70 years has facilitated a much greater share of this cohort qualifying for a medical card compared to the general population as a whole.

The gross income limit for an over 70's medical card was set at in law at €500 per week for a single person and at €900 per week for a couple from 1 January 2014. 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 that expenditure does not necessarily diminish relative to the number of people in the household. This is recognised, 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 70's income limit for a single person was reduced proportionately less than the income limit for a couple under this Budget change. There are no proposals to change this assessment process.

Persons aged 70 or over, who have lost their eligibility for a medical card due to the 2014 budgetary change will continue to have access to free GP services. In addition, as you will be aware, the Government committed to introducing, on a phased basis, a universal GP service for the entire population and the aim is to have the over 70's phase implemented this year or early next year. Furthermore, any person over 70 that does not qualify for a medical card is able to use the DPS (Drugs Payment Scheme) which caps spending on prescription drugs.

It should also be noted that persons aged 70 or older, who are assessed as ineligible under the gross income thresholds, may also have their eligibility assessed under the standard means test, where they face particularly high expenses. This assessment is based on net income and assessable outgoing expenses and the qualifying income thresholds under this scheme are lower than over 70's gross income thresholds.

Furthermore, persons aged over 70 years may still be eligible for a medical card on a discretionary basis where they face undue hardship in arranging medical services as a result of medical or social circumstances.