Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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825. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to increase the €500 eligibility limit for receipt of a medical card by a single person over 70 years of age and the €900 limit for a couple; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25271/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Under the Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Act 2013, when a person attains the age of 70, the medical card income limits are €500 gross income per week for a single person and €900 gross income per week for a couple.

Persons aged 70 or older, who are assessed as ineligible under the gross income thresholds, may also have their eligibility assessed under the means-tested medical card scheme if they so wish, for example in the event that they face particularly high expenses, e.g. nursing home or medication costs. This scheme is open to all persons, irrespective of their age and assessment is based on net income and assessable outgoing expenses. The general scheme, although having lower income thresholds, provides for income disregards and relevant outgoings to be taken into account in the assessment process. 

Furthermore, persons, including those aged over 70 years, may be deemed eligible for a medical card on a discretionary basis, if they are judged to face undue hardship in arranging GP services as a result of medical or social circumstances. In addition, from August 2015, all persons aged 70 or older qualify for a GP Visit Card, regardless of income.

There are no proposals at present to amend the current income limits for the granting of eligibility for medical cards for persons aged 70 and over. However, it should be noted that the gross income limits are reviewed annually and considered in the context of the budget.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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826. To ask the Minister for Health the reviews that have taken place of the income thresholds for medical cards; if no review has taken place, when is it expected that one will be carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25272/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Reviews of income thresholds for medical cards and GP Visit cards generally is a budgetary matter and they can be reviewed in the context of the annual Estimates  process.  Any new policy measures around the income thresholds for either medical cards or GP visit cards to be incorporated into the forthcoming Budget will be considered by Government as part of the 2019 Estimates process  and, in that context, it is too early to comment on any proposed measure at this time.