Sir, – Over the last week certain media reports, following a recent Oireachtas Health Committee meeting, have incorrectly asserted that only patients with terminal cancer have an entitlement to a medical card. It has further been suggested that this reflects a change of policy by the health services, thereby making it more onerous to get a medical card. Such reports are not correct and may have caused distress to some people who have been diagnosed with cancer.
I wish to make it clear that there has been no change to the eligibility criteria for the provision of medical cards to people with cancer or any other specific medical condition.
Patients whose income falls below the designated income threshold and who meet the guidelines are entitled to a medical card. For patients who are terminally ill, an emergency medical card can be provided within a 24-hour period for a period of six months. A discretionary medical card (which provides the same level of cover as a full medical card) is available to those patients who are suffering a non-terminal illness but whose income may be above the designated income threshold – but who may be suffering hardship due to particular medical or social issues. In order to ensure greater fairness in the issuing of discretionary medical cards, at Minister for Health James Reilly’s request, the HSE put in place a process whereby a doctor-chaired panel assesses applicants for a discretionary medical card. Over 96 per cent of all properly completed applications for medical cards are now issued within 15 days of receipt. At the end of May 2013, over two million people are in possession of a medical card or a GP visit card. The HSE’s overarching goal is to ensure that medical cards are issued to people who need them most. – Yours, etc,
LAVERNE McGUINNESS,
Chief Operations Officer,
Health Services Executive,
Oak House,
Millennium Park,
Naas,
Co Kildare.