Call to illegal medical card holders

THE Health Service Executive (HSE) has asked anyone still illegally in possession of an over-70s medical card to come forward as their concerns will be treated on “a case by case basis”.

Yesterday, it emerged that nearly 18,500 illegally held over-70s medical cards — restricted under the budget to people facing “undue

financial hardship” and with a gross weekly income of less than 700 — had yet to be handed over to health authorities, with just 1,500 returned by the 2 March 2 deadline.