John McGuinness
Question:102 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will renew a medical card for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [2989/02]
Written Answers. - Medical Cards.
Responsibility for the provision of a medical card in this case rests with the South Eastern Health Board. My Department has therefore asked the chief executive officer to investigate the matter raised by the Deputy and reply to him directly.
Jan O'Sullivan
Question:103 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health and Children the action he intends to take to ensure that persons in receipt of social welfare payments do not lose their medical cards as a result of the divergence between their social welfare income and the guidelines for medical card eligibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2991/02]
Entitlement to health services is primarily based on means. Under the Health Act, 1970, determination of eligibility for medical cards is the responsibility of the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board. Other than for persons aged 70 years and over who are automatically entitled to a medical card, medical cards are issued to persons who, in the opinion of the chief executive officer, are unable to provide general practitioner medical and surgical services for themselves and their dependants without undue hardship.
Income guidelines are drawn up by the chief executive officers to assist in the determination of a person's eligibility and these are revised annually in line with the consumer price index. However, the guidelines are not statutorily binding and even though a person's income exceeds the guidelines, a medical card may still be awarded if the chief executive officer considers that his or her medical needs or other circumstances would justify this. It is open to all persons to apply to the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board for health services if they are unable to provide these services for themselves or their dependants without hardship.
My Department advised the health board chief executive officers last year and again this year that medical card holders should not lose their cards because of increases in social welfare rates announced in the budget.