Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 May 2026
847. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the work underway to further increase medical card income limits as committed in the Programme for Government, given that income thresholds for people under 70 years have not been increased in over 20 years despite significant inflation and social welfare payment increases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31960/26]
View answerMedical Card provision is primarily based on financial assessment. In accordance with the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a medical card is determined by the HSE, which assesses each application on a qualifying financial threshold. This is the amount of money that an individual can earn a week and still qualify for a card. It is specific to the individual’s own financial circumstances.
Persons aged 69 and under are assessed under the general means tested medical card thresholds which are based on an applicant’s household income after tax and the deduction of PRSI and the Universal Social Charge. Certain expenses are also taken into account. Detailed guidelines are available at: Assessment for a medical card - HSE.ie.https://www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/medical-cards/applying/assessment/.
Persons aged 70 or older are assessed under medical card income thresholds which are based on gross income. However, it should be noted that those aged over 70 can also be assessed under the general means tested scheme where there are particularly high medical costs. Details are available at: Medical card for over 70s https://www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/medical-cards/other-types-of-medical-card/over-70s/.
Every effort is made by the HSE, within the framework of the legislation, to support applicants in applying for a medical card and, in particular, to take full account of the difficult circumstances in the case of applicants who may be in excess of the income guidelines. In such circumstances, the HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card, for example:
• Discretionary medical cards issued to patients with significant medical expenses but who do not satisfy the means test.
• Emergency medical cards are issued to patients that are terminally ill, or are seriously ill, and in urgent need of medical care that they cannot afford.
In addition, where a person's sole household income is derived from a social protection payment, he/she will be awarded a medical card.
As the Deputy is aware, the Programme for Government includes a commitment to “seek to further increase medical card income limits”. There is a programme of work currently underway in my Department, which is reviewing the existing eligibility framework, to clearly assess what is working well and to inform future policy proposals regarding the eligibility framework based on robust evidence. This is an important step towards delivering on universal healthcare in Ireland.
Over recent years, Government has put a significant focus on improving access to and the affordability of healthcare services, advancing substantial policy, legislation and investment to deliver expanded eligibility for health services, for example:
• Since March 2021, terminally ill patients who have been certified by their treating Consultant as having a prognosis of 24 months or less are now also awarded a medical card on an administrative basis.
• All children under the age of 8 years and all people aged 70 and over are now automatically eligible for a GP visit card.
• The Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS) threshold was reduced twice in 2022: From €114 to €100 per month on 1 January 2022 and from €100 to €80 per month on 1 March 2022.
• Under the Long-Term Illness Scheme, patients receive drugs, medicines, and medical and surgical appliances directly related to the treatment of their illness, free of charge.
• Public in-patient charges for children and adults have been abolished.
• The extension of the free contraception scheme to include women aged 26-30 (extending to women aged 35 from 1 July 2024).
• Since June 2025, where a woman has been prescribed a Hormone Replacement Therapy product by her healthcare provider for the purpose of alleviating menopause symptoms, the cost of the HRT medications or products, and the associated dispensing fees will be met by the State.
These measures continue to create a health and social care service that offers affordable access to quality healthcare.
