Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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473. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide a table showing changes to income thresholds for over-70s medical cards and GP visit cards since 2019, alongside the Consumer Price Index over the same period. [68718/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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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.

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. Detailed guidelines are available at: www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/medical-cards/applying/assessment/. Persons aged 70 or older are assessed under the over 70s medical card income thresholds which are based on gross income. However, it should be noted that those aged over 70 can also be assessed under the general means tested scheme where there are particularly high medical costs.

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 to €1,050 for a couple. The Deputy may also wish to note that, since 2015, every individual aged 70 and over has automatic eligibility for a GP visit card.

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) is Ireland's national statistical institute and details regarding the Consumer Price Index are available at: cso.ie.

I wish to 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, the annual budgetary estimates process and other issues which may be relevant.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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474. To ask the Minister for Health the number of over-70s who were subject to a means review more than once within a 24-month period in each of the past four years. [68719/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.