People may have to wait months to get medical cards restored

People who have lost discretionary medical cards could have to wait months before they are restored after the Government confirmed new laws may be needed to change the criteria to qualify.

Health Minister James Reilly and Minister of State Alex White and their officials are working with the Attorney General to come up with proposals that would restore cards to some — but not necessarily all — who lost them through a review process under way since the start of the year.

But it is still unclear whether they will be restored to the thousands who lost their cards last year — before the ‘probity’ exercise announced in last year’s Budget began.