Harney refuses to apologise over medical cards anguish

HEALTH Minister Mary Harney refused to apologise last night for the anguish suffered by elderly people over the Government’s botched medical card move.

Finance Minister Brian Lenihan announced in Tuesday’s budget that he was ending the automatic entitlement to a medical card for the over-70s. But after a massive outcry, the Government performed a partial climb down last night.

While insisting it would not reverse its decision to end the automatic entitlement, it did widen the income limits so that more over-70s who are means-tested will now qualify.