Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

420. To ask the Minister for Health if the medical card reviews for over 70s, suspended last May, has been recommenced; if so, if he will publish the new framework for awarding medical cards which was due to be in place before the review recommenced; if he will provide details of the estimated cost of this review and if he will explain the rationale for the review considering the plans to introduce free general practitioner care for over 70s; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36947/14]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Under the arrangements effected by the Health Act 2008, a simplified system of assessment for eligibility was made available to persons aged 70 or over, based on the significantly higher gross income limits rather than the net income thresholds under the standard means test.

In Budget 2014, it was announced that this gross income limit for a medical card for persons aged over 70's was set at €500 per week for a single person and at €900 per week for a couple.

However, persons aged 70 or older may also have their eligibility assessed under the standard means test, where they wish to take account of high expenses, e.g., nursing home or medication costs. This assessment is based on net income and assessable outgoing expenses and the qualifying income thresholds under this test are lower than over 70's gross income limits.

In May of this year, the HSE decided to suspend reviews of medical cards held on a discretionary basis only, not reviews of over 70's medical cards. The suspension of the reviews of discretionary cards is still in place. The Government has decided to prioritise the over 70’s in the next phase of the roll-out of free access to GP care. The Government has approved the drafting of a Bill to provide a GP service without fees for all persons aged 70 years and over. Drafting of the Bill has commenced and is the subject on ongoing interaction between the Department and the Attorney-General’s Office. The expectation is that the Health (General Practitioner Service) (No. 2) Bill 2014 will be published shortly. The aim is to have the over 70’s phase implemented this year or early next year, subject to the conclusion of discussions between the Department of Health, the HSE and the IMO.

Under the current legislation, persons who do not hold a medical card can benefit from the Drugs Payment Scheme which caps the monthly payments, for an individual or family, at €144 per calendar month for approved prescribed medicines.