All children diagnosed with cancer are to be granted a medical card for a period of five years following diagnosis.
The Health Service Executive said the recommendation is to be implemented “immediately”.
A HSE spokeswoman said after the five-year period had elapsed, children could apply for a medical card in line with normal criteria, and discretion can be applied.
The move follows a recommendation to the HSE by the Clinical Advisory Group, appointed following the Keane report on medical card eligibility in 2014. The work of the group is “ongoing and further advice is expected” on measures to improve access to care and schemes.
Parallel developments in relation to free GP care for all children under six, which commenced on July 1st, and all adults aged over 70, which comes into effect on August 1st, are also part of “the overall strategy to improve access to primary care services”.
The statement said the reform programme following the report is “well under way” with discretionary medical cards increased from 52,000 to 87,000. “Applying for a medical card has been streamlined to make it as straightforward as possible.”
