Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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2570. To ask the Minister for Health if she will remove child maintenance payments as income in the means test for medical cards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40896/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Eligibility for a medical card is primarily based on means and a financial assessment which is conducted by the HSE in accordance with the Health Act 1970. The Act obliges the HSE to assess whether a person is unable, without due hardship, to arrange general practitioner services, medical and surgical services for himself or herself and his or her family, having regard to his or her overall financial position and reasonable expenditure.

Persons aged 70 or older are assessed under medical card income thresholds which are based on gross income. However, it should be noted that those aged 70 or older can also be assessed under the general means tested scheme where there are particularly high costs, e.g., medication, nursing home fees.

Persons 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.

The HSE Medical Card and GP Visit Card National Assessment Guidelines provide a list of assessable income and allowable expenses that are taken into consideration in determining eligibility for a medical card for general means tested applicants. The list of assessable income includes maintenance received, which is counted as income for the receiver, while maintenance paid is an allowable expense for the provider.

Every effort is made by the HSE, within the framework of the legislation, to support applicants in applying for a medical card and, in particular, to take full account of any difficult circumstances in the case of applicants who may be in excess of the income guidelines. The HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card or GP visit card, even though an applicant exceeds the income threshold where they face difficult social or financial circumstances.

I can assure the Deputy that, in order to ensure the medical card system is responsive and sensitive to people's needs, my Department keeps medical card issues under review and any proposals are considered in the context of any potential broader implications for Government policy, the annual budgetary estimates process and legislative requirements arising.