Medical card means testing may be scrapped

Financial means tests carried out on the families of seriously ill children seeking medical cards could be scrapped under plans being discussed by Government.

Health Minister Leo Varadkar is examining the move after it was put to him by the independent expert group of patients and doctors set up to resolve card access problems in recent days.

Under the proposed measures, access to the State support could soon be linked to the domiciliary care allowance – a State support which does not require means testing.