Medical card chaos - Fix it or forget it

HEALTH Service Executive management have beeninvited to explain to the Oireachtas Health Committee why the system of providing medical cards for people over 70 has collapsed.

The committee has been told that the new centralised system is not working. Delays are inordinate and applications have been lost. The committee also heard that it is almost impossible to make contact with the relevant office by phone.

This inefficiency is unacceptable and shows contempt for those who are entitled to expect that their applications are dealt with in a speedy and proper manner. This change is part of a HSE plan to centralise processing of all medical card applications by April. This is just a matter of weeks away and unless the HSE can show that they can deal with this relatively small group properly then all other plans must be deferred.