Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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466. To ask the Minister for Health if income received by those who avail of the rent-a-room relief allowing up to €14,000 per year to be earned tax-free if a person rents out a room in their home to private tenants, will be disregarded in the assessment of an applicant’s income threshold for those applying for a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44399/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Eligibility for a medical card is primarily based on a financial assessment which is conducted by the HSE in accordance with the Health Act 1970 (as amended). The HSE assesses each medical card application on a qualifying financial threshold. This is the amount of money that an individual can earn a week and still qualify for a card. It is specific to the individual’s own financial circumstances.

People aged 69 and under are assessed under the general means tested medical card thresholds which are based on an applicant’s household income after tax and the deduction of PRSI and the Universal Social Charge. Certain expenses are also taken into account, e.g. mortgage payments, which help to increase the amount a person can earn and still qualify for a medical card.

People aged 70 or older are assessed under the over 70s medical card income thresholds which are based on gross income. It should be noted that in November 2020, the weekly gross medical card income thresholds for those aged 70 and over were increased to €550 per week for a single person and €1,050 for a couple. This increase ensures that a greater proportion of those aged 70 and over now qualify for a medical card.

I can assure the Deputy that, to ensure the medical card system is responsive and sensitive to people's needs, my Department keeps medical card issues, including the current medical card income thresholds, under review and any proposed changes are considered in the context of Government policy, the annual budgetary estimates process and other issues which may be relevant.