Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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133. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated full year cost of increasing the threshold for the over 70s medical card announced in budget 2020. [43665/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As announced in Budget 2020, medical card gross income limits for those over 70 will be increased to €550 per week for a single person aged over 70 (currently €500 per week) and to €1050 for a couple aged over 70 (currently €900 per week). 

It is estimated that up to 56,000 persons aged over 70 may be eligible to benefit from the increased medical card income limits which will apply from July 2020.

The cost of this measure will be dependent on a number of factors, including the number of additional applications made to the HSE, the timescale within which these are made and the number of applicants who are deemed eligible. Funding in respect of the measure has been provided for within the Budget 2020 package of family friendly measures, which amounts to €45m in total.