Medical card review
Deputy Kenny asked for a review of discretionary medical cards, including for people with terminal illness or cancer. The Taoiseach said he would check with the Minister, noted current discretionary access for terminal illness, and said income thresholds should be examined at budget time.
It is a very quick question for the Taoiseach on the medical card review. I am aware there was a report in 2014 around the expert panel and medical card eligibility. Will the review take place soon on the system of discretionary medical cards and the remit for those who have a terminal illness or who have cancer? People who do not have a terminal illness are finding it very difficult to get a medical card in the context of costs and so on.
Comment on this
I will check with the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, and come back to Deputy Kenny directly. It is my understanding that people who have a terminal illness can now qualify for a discretionary medical card, but there is an understandable reluctance to prescribe certain illnesses that qualify for a medical card and others that do not. This is for lots of reasons that are explained in the report, including that it would potentially be very unfair. Certainly, one aspect we must examine at budget time is increasing the income thresholds. These have not gone up since, I believe, 2005, which is a very long time ago. It would be expensive to do but it would be the right thing to do. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, to come back to the Deputy directly.