Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 February 2026
588. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has conducted any internal policy or distributional analysis of the impact of maintaining current medical card income thresholds for persons aged 70 years and over following the 2025 State Pension increase; if so, the date of such analysis; whether the findings were submitted to her for decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15980/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra589. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department sought advice from the ESRI in relation to the projected distributional impact of increasing medical card income thresholds for persons aged 70 years and over by €10 per week in line with the 2025 State pension increase; whether a policy recommendation was made to her arising from that modelling exercise; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15981/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra590. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any consideration was given in Budget 2026 to adjusting medical card income thresholds for persons aged 70 years and over in line with pension increases; whether this option was costed by her Department; and if she will outline the policy rationale for maintaining existing thresholds. [15982/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 588, 589 and 590 together.
Medical 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]. 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]. 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 income is derived from a social protection payment, he/she will be awarded a medical card.
I can assure the Deputy that, in order to ensure the medical card system is responsive and sensitive to people's needs, my Department keeps medical card issues under review and any proposals are considered in the context of any potential broader implications for Government policy, the annual budgetary estimates process and legislative requirements arising.
