No such entity as a discretionary medical card, says minister

Fresh questions have emerged over the Government’s policy on discretionary medical cards after provision for the benefit was omitted from the this year’s health service plan.

Alex White, junior health minister, said there was “no such entity” as discretionary medical cards. He had been asked why such a benefit is not budgeted for in the HSE service plan.

Opposition politicians have raised questions over whether there is a secret plan to abolish discretionary medical cards, or to stop recording them so that information will no longer be available on how many have been removed.