Sir, – Several commentators have claimed that medical cards are awarded on the basis of income. While it may suit the Government and the HSE to give this impression, income is not the only factor that must be taken into consideration in deciding entitlement to a medical card.
Under the Health Act 1970, a person is entitled to a medical card if, he or she is “unable, without undue hardship, to arrange general practitioner medical and surgical services for themselves and their dependents”. Leaving aside the harsh poor-law language of the legislation, it is clear that the HSE must also take into account the medical condition of an applicant and whether his or her income is sufficient to secure medical care to treat that condition “without undue hardship”.
We can continue to argue about how much hardship people should endure before they secure medical care, or we could decide to move as quickly as possible to universal access to general medical care, a decision that every western European country took at least a generation ago. – Yours, etc,
RUTH BARRINGTON,
Blackheath Park,
Clontarf,
Dublin 3.
A chara, – As a father of three young children, I find the universal medical card slightly ludicrous. It strikes me that it would make more sense to give each child four visits in the year. This would cover the vast majority of our needs. After this people should pay according to their means (paying from €5 to €60). The savings should be used to ensure that people, with serious, prolonged and certified medical needs would get all the care they need. – Yours, etc,
JOE RYAN,
Summerhill Heights,
Wexford.
A chara, – Your correspondent Kenneth O’Galligan, (October 22nd) bemoans the fact that his entitlement to a medical card, being 70 years and older, will reduce from the current gross income figure of €1,200 to €900 per week, a reduction of 25 per cent, while a single person’s equivalent will reduce by 16.67 per cent from €600 to €500. He wonders if this differential might be unconstitutional.
If he were to look at the HSE website he would see that the current figures for over 70s is, as he describes. The income limit for others are as follows: Married couples up to 65, €266.50 per week. Married couples from 66 to 69 it is €298 per week. Therefore, a couple up to 65 can have an income of €266.50 currently, where over-70s can have €1,200. Even when it reduces to €900 it will be over 337 per cent more than for a couple aged up to 65.
Similarly, a couple aged from 66 to 69 can have an income of €298, so the new reduced over-70s rate will still be over 300 per cent more than for a couple aged 69.
May I suggest that Mr O’Galligan thank his lucky stars that he has such an income and might consider writing to the relevant ministers to address the far greater inequalities at the bottom of the income ladder? – Is mise.
SEÁN O KIERSEY,
Kill Abbey, Deansgrange,
Blackrock, Co Dublin.