Many Laois people missing out on free GP care

Income thresholds for full medical card entitlements for workers in Laois and other counties must change, according to a Laois TD.

Dep Brian Stanley made the demand because he said they thresholds have not changed in 20 years, even though 400,000 people of working age are likely to be entitled to a free GP Visit card and have not applied.

The Portlaoise-based TD's questions also revealed that huge numbers are people are not applying for the GP only card.

In a statement to the Leinster Express / Laois Live, the independent TD said he asked the Minister for Health  Jennifer Carroll McNeill if she will examine the threshold for full medical card entitlement.

“We have not moved on this for years, and it is causing problems. There are a great many people caught without one, who are in desperate need of it. We have the aim of getting to a universal health system, but we are caught in this situation now and need to move on it,” he said.

Dep Stanley outlined the figures.

"The income thresholds are €184 for a person who is single and €201.50 if you are over 66. The basic rate of social welfare is €50 ahead of that at the moment. For a couple, the figure is €298. I ask the Minister to picture this. For a couple with two children, €342 is the limit of the income threshold. It is a real problem for workers and families. The Minister indicated she might review it. I ask her to go for it in the next budget,” he said.

The Minster for Health responded in the Dáil.

“People under 70 are assessed under the general means-tested medical card thresholds which are based on an applicant’s household income after a deduction of tax, PRSI and universal social charge. Certain expenses are also taken into account. People aged 70 and older are assessed under medical card income threshold’s 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 costs.

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"I assure the Deputy that my department keeps medical card issues under review in order to ensure the medical card system is responsive and sensitive to people’s needs. over the course of 2025, we will review the existing eligibility framework to clearly assess what is working well and to inform future policy proposals regarding the eligibility based on robust evidence. That is an important step towards delivering universal healthcare in Ireland,” she said.

She said that in 2023 GP visit card eligibility was extended enormously.

"While that does not meet everything if you have a GP visit card plus the drugs payment scheme plus, potentially the long-term illness scheme. What I really struggle with is that while 430.000 people were estimated to be eligible under that expansion as of 13 of January this year only 38,517 GP visit cards have been awarded, under that median income expansion. It is not as though we do not want people to take them up. As a result of that initially slow update, a media campaign was rolled out to encourage uptake,” she said.

Dep Stanley welcomed the extension of the GP only card. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Laois TD Brian Stanley

"The figures the Minister gave means that, only one in 12 People who are entitled to it have applied for it. Obviously, there is a big piece of work for the Government and all of us to try get the word out there on that. It is important that we get people into primary care and that we are able to treat them, because many people neglect their own health due to costs and they finish up with a more chronic condition in some Accident and Emergency unit,” he said