James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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446. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to further extend eligibility for medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5889/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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As the Deputy will be aware, eligibility for medical cards is set out in the Health Act 1970 (as amended). The Act provides that persons, unable without undue hardship having regard to their overall financial situation to arrange GP services for themselves and family, qualify for a medical card. The Deputy will also be aware of the publication of the Report of the Expert Panel on Medical Need for Medical Card Eligibility and the Medical Card Process Review in November 2014. A key recommendation of the Expert Panel was that a person’s means should remain the main qualifier for a medical card.

The HSE has discretion, exercised in accordance with the legislation, to grant a medical card where a person's income exceeds the income guidelines. 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.

In the light of the conclusions of the two reports a range of actions have been identified to improve the operation of the medical card system, particularly for people with significant medical needs. The HSE has appointed a senior manager, at Assistant National Director level, with specific responsibility for Primary Care Schemes and Eligibility, to lead the reform. A Clinical Advisory Group has been appointed and it will provide an interim report within three months on the development of guidance on assessing medical card applications involving significant medical conditions. It includes representatives of Our Children's Health and Patients for Patient Safety Ireland.

The HSE is also putting arrangements in place for a more integrated and sensitive processing of medical card applications involving significant medical conditions to ensure greater interaction between the central office regarding the assessment of a person’s eligibility and the local health office regarding the person’s medical condition and the services that they may require. Consequently, the number of medical cards issued, where the HSE has exercised discretion, has increased from approximately 50,300 at the start of 2014 to approximately 76,700 at the start of 2015.