Eoin Hayes (Dublin Bay South, Social Democrats)
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1760. To ask the Minister for Health the average annual cost of providing a Health (Amendment) Act 2020 (HAA) card, per person; the number of people who have the HAA card as of the latest data available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58325/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is an operational matter, this PQ has been referred to the HSE to respond.

Eoin Hayes (Dublin Bay South, Social Democrats)
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1761. To ask the Minister for Health the average annual cost of providing a medical card, per person; the number of people who have a medical card, as of latest data available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58326/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is an operational matter, this PQ has been referred to the HSE to respond.

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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1762. To ask the Minister for Health if a discretionary medical card can be awarded to all polio survivors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58331/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Medical card provision is primarily based on financial assessment. In accordance with the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a medical card is determined by the HSE, which assesses each application on a qualifying financial threshold. This is the amount of money that an individual can earn per week and still qualify for a card. It is specific to the individual’s own financial circumstances.

People under 70 are assessed under the general means tested medical card thresholds which are based on an applicant’s household income after deduction of tax, PRSI and Universal Social Charge. Certain expenses are also taken into account. People aged 70 or older are assessed under medical card income thresholds which are based on gross income. However, those aged over 70 can also be assessed under the general means tested scheme where there are particularly high medical costs. Detailed guidelines are available at: www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/medical-cards/applying/assessment/

The issue of granting medical or GP visit cards on the basis of illness or a disability was previously examined in 2014 by the HSE Expert Panel on Medical Need and Medical Card Eligibility. The Group concluded that it was not feasible, desirable, nor ethically justifiable to list medical conditions in priority order for medical card or GP visit card eligibility. In following the Expert Group’s advice, a person’s means remains the main qualifier for a medical card or GP visit card.

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 the 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, even though an applicant exceeds the income threshold where they face difficult financial circumstances, such as extra costs arising from an illness. Social and medical issues are also considered when determining whether undue hardship exists for an individual accessing general practitioner or other medical services.

The HSE also has a compassionate system in place for the efficient provision of medical cards in response to emergency situations i.e., where persons are in need of urgent ongoing medical care or when a patient is receiving end of life treatment. In these cases, a medical card is issued within 24 hours of receipt of the required patient details and completed medical report by a healthcare professional. In addition, since March 2021, persons who have been certified by their treating Consultant as having a prognosis of 24 months or less are now also awarded a medical card on an administrative basis.

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 under review and any changes are considered in the context of Government policy and other issues which may be relevant.