Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2026
856. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1215 of 28 April 2026, if she will consider establishing a specific emergency medical card system, through a temporary six to 12 month emergency medical card, issued upon entry to a refuge for women and children who are forced to enter domestic violence refuges. [44996/26]
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.
It is important to note that where an applicant requires urgent ongoing medical care and requires a Medical Card to receive that care and the applicant is not in a position to provide the necessary documentation to enable a full means test, an emergency medical card may be issued for a period of six months on receipt of the required patient details and completed medical report by a healthcare professional. In these circumstances the applicant will still need to apply for a standard means-tested medical card before the temporary card expires. Details are available at www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/medical-cards/other-types-of-medical-card/emergency-medical-cards/.
I can assure the Deputy that, to ensure the medical card system is responsive and sensitive to people's needs, my Department keeps medical card issues under review and any changes are considered in the context of any potential broader implications for Government policy, the annual budgetary estimates process and legislative requirements arising.
As previously advised, people under 70 are assessed under the general means tested medical card thresholds which are based on an applicant's household income after deduction of tax, PRSI and Universal Social Charge. Certain expenses are also taken into account. Detailed guidelines are available at: Assessment for a medical card - HSE.ie. People aged 70 or older are assessed under medical card income thresholds which are based on gross income. However, 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:[] 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 - in particular, to take full account of 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.
