42% of the population can see a GP for free, but there has been a lower than expected uptake of visit cards

HSE data for 2023 shows that 1.61m people in Ireland had a medical card, an increase of 42,808 from 1.56m eligible in 2022. File picture: PA

More than 2.2m people had a medical card or a GP visit card last year.

However, medical card numbers remain lower than predicted despite changes to income limits, new figures from the HSE show.