More than 87,000 medical cards lost as numbers eligible drop by 5%

More than 87,000 people have lost their medical cards in the past year as the numbers eligible for free healthcare decreased by almost 5%.

Figures from the Department of Health show that 1.77m people held medical cards at the start of December — a reduction of 87,011 on the same time last year. It translates as a 4.7% decrease in the number of people eligible for free GP visits, prescription medicines, hospital care and other benefits.

However, the number of people with discretionary medical cards has soared by 47% in the past year after the Government was forced last June to return some discretionary cards which had been withdrawn as part of a controversial review process.