‘Doctor only’ medical cards for low-income patients

LOW-INCOME patients will be able to apply for 200,000 ‘doctor only’ cards from next week after the Department of Health sorts out its difficulties with the country’s GPs.

After a seven-month wait, advertisements will appear in newspapers over the weekend inviting the public to apply for the cards which allow free doctor visits but don’t cover prescription or hospital costs.

The Tánaiste and Minister for Health, Mary Harney also announced that the assessment methods for traditional medical cards and GP visit cards will be changed.

“Back in November, we provided for another 30,000 medical cards but all of these haven’t been taken up due to increasing income limits. In a radical change, we will now look at disposable income when assessing persons rather than gross income,” a spokesman for the Tánaiste said.

A person’s income will now be judged on the amount they have in their pocket after income tax and PRSI contributions are taken into account.

According to the department, “reasonable expenses” such as childcare costs, mortgage or home rental payments and travel to work costs will also be considered when trying to ascertain the net income figure.

A spokesman for the Tánaiste would not elaborate on what constituted “reasonable childcare or mortgage expenses” but said community welfare officers would make that decision.

In certain circumstances, GP and traditional medical cards will also be made available for individuals or families who may be over the disposable income level but are suffering “hardship or undue burden.”

According to the Tánaiste, over 1.3 million people, or one third of the population, will have free access to their GP with the 230,000 new cards.

Meanwhile, for the first time, over 65s, who don’t have health insurance, will now be able to apply for cover.

Up to now, health insurers could refuse contracts but under draft regulations presented to the Oireachtas by the Tánaiste, this will be illegal.

Speaking yesterday, the Tánaiste said: “some people who retired to Ireland, or who have returned to Ireland in the past where prevented from acquiring health insurance and this will now be rectified.”