The following information is adapted from the Citizen’s Advice Information Bureau. For further information, please go to www.citizensinformation.ie or visit your local Citizens Information Office. You may also phone the Citizens Information Phone Service: 1890 777 121.
A medical card issued by the Health Services Executive (HSE) allows the holder to receive certain health services free of charge.
Normally, your dependent spouse and children are also covered for the same range of health services. Medical cards are small plastic cards (similar in size to a credit card). Your medical card will show your doctor's name. It is usually issued for a year, after which it is reviewed.
Medical card holders are exempt from paying the Health Levy part of social insurance and from the Income Levy introduced in 2009. They may also be exempt from paying school transport charges, State exam fees in publicly-funded second-level schools. There may also be financial help when buying school books in certain schools.
GP Visit Cards: Unless you have a medical card, visits to GPs (family doctors) are not free. If you do not qualify for a medical card on income grounds, you may qualify for a GP Visit Card. It is means tested, but the income limits are higher than for the medical card.
What health services are normally covered?
If you have a medical card, you are entitled to:
Free GP services
Prescribed drugs and medicines (with some exceptions)
In-patient public hospital services, out-patient services and medical appliances
Dental, optical and aural services
Maternity and infant care services
Some personal and social care services, for example, public health nursing, social work services and other community care services.
Income guidelines if you are aged under 70 years
Your income is assessed in different ways, depending on whether you are aged under 70 years or over that age.
| Category |
Aged
under 66
|
Aged 66 - 69 |
| Single person living alone |
€184.00 |
€210.50 |
| Single person living with family |
€164.00 |
€173.50 |
| Married Couple (or lone parent with dependent children) |
€266.50 |
€298.00 |
| Allowance for each of first 2 children aged under 16 |
€38.00 |
€38.00 |
| Allowance for each of first 2 children aged over 16 (with no income) |
€39.00 |
€39.00 |
| Allowance for 3rd and each subsequent child over 16 (no income) |
€42.50 |
€42.50 |
| Each dependent over 16 in full-time 3rd level education, who is not grant aided |
€78.00 |
€65.00 |
| |
|
|
Reasonable expenses incurred in respect of childcare costs and rent/mortgage payments will also be allowed. (There is, however, no exact definition of what 'reasonable expenses' actually means in relation to housing or childcare costs).
Weekly travel costs to work (the actual cost of public transport or mileage at 30 cent per mile/18 cent per km) are also allowed.
Capital: applicants aged under 70 years
All capital (savings and investments) is taken into account for medical card purposes. It is assessed as follows to calculate your weekly means:
Capital Weekly means assessed
First €20,000 (single), €40,000 (couple) Nil
Next €10,000 €1 per €1,000
Next €10,000 €2 per €1,000
Balance (eg capital in excess of €40,000/€60,000) €4 per €1,000
More Information
The HSE has a Guide to Medical Cards, dealing with frequently asked questions, please see:
http://www.hse.ie/eng/Find_a_Service/entitlements/Medical_Cards/Your_Guide_to_Medical_Cards.html
How to Apply
You can get the application form and list of participating GPs from your local health centre or Local Health Office for your area. Alternatively you may download a medical card application form from the HSE website, www.hse.ie
You complete it and bring it to the GP you have chosen from the list of participating doctors. The GP you select must generally have his/her practice within 7 miles of where you live. The GP must agree to accept you as a patient. If the GP accepts you as a patient, he/she signs the form. Your employer also has to sign the form and certify your earnings or if you are claiming a social welfare payment, the form has to be stamped at the Social Welfare Local Office. Self-employed people have to submit their most recent tax assessment form or set of trading accounts.
The application form should be returned to the Local Health Office if you are aged under 70.
You can also apply for the Drugs Payment Scheme at any age.
Contact your local health centre or local health office if you have any questions about medical cards and eligibility.
You can also contact the HSE Infoline: Callsave 1850 24 1850.
