Written answer
Medical Cards
GP and medical card eligibility will continue to be based primarily on means rather than specific illnesses, although the HSE can use discretion where chronic illness causes financial hardship. The Minister highlighted existing supports for people with conditions such as MS, including the Long-Term Illness and Drugs Payment schemes.
3422. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health given the cost-of-living issues, the plans that will be given consideration to those who are living with chronic illnesses, such as MS, to help alleviate the financial burden incurred by those illnesses by making a GP Visit card available to those impacted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56274/26]
Comment on this
GP visit card provision is primarily based on residency and means. In accordance with the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a GP visit card is determined by the HSE, which assesses each application on a qualifying financial threshold.
The issue of granting medical or GP visit cards based on having a particular disease or illness 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 or GP visit 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 or GP visit 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.
All persons aged 70 years and over and individuals in receipt of either a full or half-rate Carer's Allowance or Carer's Benefit are automatically eligible for a GP visit card. Furthermore, GP visit card eligibility was expanded under the GP Agreement 2023 to all those earning up to the median household income and, on the basis of age, from all children under 6 years to all children under 8 years.
It is important to acknowledge that the administration of the medical card and GP visit card exists within a wider eligibility framework, for example:
• under the Long-Term Illness Scheme, patients with one of 16 scheduled illnesses including Multiple Sclerosis, receive drugs, medicines, and medical and surgical appliances directly related to the treatment of their illness, free of charge.
• under the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS) no individual pays more than €80 a month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The DPS is not means tested and is available to anyone ordinarily resident in Ireland. The DPS significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals with ongoing expenditure on medicines.
• Public in-patient charges in public hospitals have been abolished.
• Individuals may also be entitled to claim tax relief on the cost of qualifying health expenses, including medicines prescribed by a doctor, dentist, or consultant. Relief is at the standard tax rate of 20%.
These measures continue to create a health and social care service that offers affordable access to quality healthcare.
I can assure the Deputy that, to ensure the medical card and GP visit card system is responsive and sensitive to people's needs, my Department keeps medical card and GP visit card issues under review and any changes are considered in the context of Government policy and other issues which may be relevant.