11,000 medical card holders denied renewal by HSE South

MORE than 11,000 medical card holders in the south of the country seeking routine renewals have been turned down by the HSE, even though their economic circumstances are unchanged or in some cases worsened, it has been claimed.

Figures seen by the Irish Examiner show that 11,228 full medical card holders were refused a new card in the first half of the year by the HSE South – figures which have been described as “inexplicable” by the Fianna Fáil TD Michael McGrath.

Mr McGrath said he had been approached by countless numbers of his constituents who had applications for medical cards turned down for no apparent reason.