17/06/2014

Medical Cards Granted For People With Lifelong Illnesses

The HSE welcomes the Government authorisation given today to enable the HSE to make the necessary decisions to return medical cards and GP visit cards to those with a lifelong medical condition, acute illness, or disability, who had been granted a card on a discretionary basis, and who lost their card following a review, since July 2011.

The HSE also welcomes the decision of Government to provide €13million in additional full year funding to the HSE to cover the cost of returning the medical cards. Today's decision provides a basis on which discretionary medical or GP visit cards can be returned to over 15,000 people. These cards will be valid until July 2015.

The decision affects all those who had a medical card or GP visit card withdrawn following a review (and/or an appeal) between 1 July 2011 and 31 May 2014.

Director General of the HSE, Tony O'Brien, commented: "In light of today's decision by Government, the HSE has greater freedom to exercise its powers and to observe its obligations under the 1970 Health Act and is returning these cards on a temporary basis, pending further policy decisions by Government, expected in the Autumn. Further policy changes may change the basis on which eligibility for health services is to be determined in the future."

(CD/IT)

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