Your Guide to Medical Cards
A Medical Card is a plastic card, about the size of a credit card, issued by the HSE. People who hold a Medical Card are entitled to a range of Health Services free of charge.
What Health Services are available Free of Charge if I have a Medical Card?
You are entitled to the following services if you have a Medical Card:
- Doctor Visits – a range of family doctor or GP services from a chosen doctor contracted to the HSE in your local area;
- Prescription Medicines: The supply of prescribed approved medicines, aids and appliances like wheelchairs, crutches etc. In some circumstances a deposit may be required for aids and appliances which will be refunded on return of the aid or appliance. A €2.50 charge applies to all prescription medicines dispensed to medical card patients;
- Certain Dental, Ophthalmic (Eye), and Aural (Ear) health services;
- Hospital Care – all in-patient services in public wards in public hospitals, including public consultant services;
- Hospital Visits – All out-patient services in public hospitals, including public consultant services;
- Medical & Midwifery Care for Mothers, including health care related to pregnancy and the care of the child for six weeks after birth;
- Some personal and social care services, for example, public health nursing, social work services and other community care services based on client need.
If you are not eligible for a medical card, you may be eligible for a GP Visit Card or the Long Term Illness Scheme.
Can I apply for a Medical Card?
Anyone over the age of 16 years who is ordinarily resident in the State can apply for a Medical Card. If you are financial dependent on your parents or guardians, your parents or guardians need to apply for a medical card.
Medical card eligibility is based on an assessment of means. To qualify your weekly income must be below the income threshold. Any income, savings, investments and property (except for your own home) are taken into account in the means test. It is important that you give as much information as possible with your application; including dependents, mortgage payments, medical expenses etc.
Need help? – contact the HSE on LoCall 1890 252 919
Email HSE on [email protected]
Free Under 6 GP Care Scheme
Scheme Outline
This scheme, introduced by the Government and subject to terms and conditions set out by the Health Service Executive, is available to all children aged under 6, permanently living in Ireland.
It commences July 1st 2015 if you have signed up and have been accepted by a GP
Please Note: While all children are entitled to free GP Care, it can only be availed of by those who have signed up with, and have been accepted by, a participating GP.
How To Sign Up à Simply log onto www.gpvisitcard.ie
If you wish to attend Athboy Family Practice: Select Athboy Family Practice or Dr. Valerie Cronin / or Dr. Anthony Ryan.
If you have any queries locall 1890 252 919
What information do I need to register? – Your Child or Children’s PPS number – Your PPS number and contact details Where can I get details of my child’s Personal Public Service (PPS) Number? When you register your child’s birth the Department of Social Protection writes to you with their PPS Number. If you do not have a PPS number for your child please contact the Client Identity Services, Department of Social Protection, Lo Call 1890 927 999 or email [email protected]
NB: Once we have been notified by the HSE of your choice of GP, we will endeavour to accept you onto our panel within as short a timeframe as possible.
Do I get a GP Visit Card for my child or children? Yes, once the registration of your child or children is complete a GP Visit Card for children under 6, will be posted, to the address provided, for each eligible child.
My child’s 6th birthday is in July 2015, should I still register my child? Yes. All children who have not reached their 6th birthday and who live in Ireland or who intend to live in Ireland for a year, are eligible for service under the GP Visit Card for children under 6 Scheme. If your child’s 6th birthday occurs in July 2015, you should register your child and he/she will be eligible for GP Visit Card for children under 6 until the end of July 2015
What is Covered by the Scheme:
Put simply, all the normal acute medical care needs of your Under 6 child is covered.
What is Not Covered by the Scheme:
While the Under 6 GP scheme covers most routine needs of your child, it doesn’t cover non-medical tasks that have often been carried out by your GP.
While these can still be facilitated, if needed, they will now incur a Fee, even if you are otherwise covered by the Under 6 Free GP Care Scheme.
Here is a non-exhaustive list of items not covered, as suggested by the H.S.E
~Travel vaccinations, Paediatric phlebotomy,
~Passport / identity reports / letters, Crèche reports,
~Utilities reports / letters, Insurance medicals / reports,
~School attendance notes / certificates, Sports medicals / reports,
~Letters in support of applications for services under the Social Welfare Acts (Housing, Clothing etc)
Will Out of Hours Urgent GP care will be provided?
Yes, out of hours, urgent GP care service will be covered.
What does a Parent do for Out of Hours care?
Where a child needs to be seen outside of normal contracted hours (9am to 5pm) then Athboy Family Practice is a member of the NEDOC Service. Call 1850 777 911 Located in Our Lady’s Hospital Navan. NEDOC is a QUALITY service, operated and provided by all your local GPs in Co. Meath.
Open Monday to Friday 6pm to 8am and 24 hours a day on Weekends, Bank Holidays, Christmas, New Years etc.
NEDOC is the ONLY out of hours Service we recommend to our patients.
Will I have to pay for medicines prescribed by my GP for my children under 6 years? The GP Visit Card for children under 6 does not cover the cost of medications prescribed by a GP or hospital charges. If your child has eligibility under the Long Term Illness Scheme, they will receive drugs, medicines, and medical and surgical appliances directly related to the treatment of their long term illness, free of charge. If you don’t have a Medical Card you should apply for a Drugs Payment Scheme Card. Under the Drugs Payment Scheme, an individual or family will pay a maximum of €144 each month for their approved drugs, medicines and certain appliances for use by them or their family, in that month. The monthly financial threshold is determined by the Minister for Health.
If you have any queries locall 1890 252 919
GP Visit Card Over 70s
From 5th August 2015 everyone aged 70 or over, ordinarily resident in Ireland, has been eligible for free GP care regardless of income. All people aged 70 or over who do not have a Medical Card or GP Visit card can register to access this service.
How do I register for this scheme?
Medical Card or GP Visit Card Holders do not have to register for this scheme. Non-Medical Card or GP Visit Card holders can register if aged 70 or over provided they are ordinarily resident in Ireland. Register online at gpvisitcard.ie or download the regisration form.
What does Ordinarily Resident mean?
Ordinarily resident means that you are living in Ireland and intend to live in Ireland for more than one year.
Will my spouse or my partner also get for a GP Visit Card?
If your spouse or partner is aged 70 or over, they can also register for a GP Visit Card online at www.gpvisitcard.ie, just click ‘add spouse or partner’ at Step 1, or use download the registration form.
If your spouse or partner is under 70, they will not automatically quality for eligibility under the GP Visit Card Over 70s scheme. However, dependents including spouses or partners who are under 70 will continue to have access to a GP service without fees where they meet the existing income limits.
What information do I need to register online?
– Your Public Personal Services (PPS) number – The name of your GP of choice – Your spouse or partner’s Public Personal Services (PPS) number (if applicable).
Where can I get details of my Personal Public Service (PPS) Number?
A Personal Public Service (PPS) number is issued by the Department of Social Protection. Your PPS number is used on social welfare payments and tax credits documents. If you do not have a PPS number, please contact the Client Identity Services, Department of Social Protection, at Lo Call 1890 927 999 or email [email protected]
.
I have registered online – what happens next?
Once you complete the registration process, details are sent to your GP of choice who must confirm that they have accepted you onto their patient panel. Once the GP of choice has
confirmed acceptance of your registration, a GP Visit Card will be issued to you within a few days. If your GP is not accepting registrations on-line, you will be informed by email. You must print the attachment to the email and bring it to your GP of choice and invite him/her to complete the GP Acceptance section.
Please return the completed form to: GP Visit Card – over 70s PO Box 12629 Dublin 11
How do I get help with the registration process?
Contact LoCall 1890 252 919 Monday – Friday 8am to 8pm. Rates charged for 1890 (LoCall) numbers may vary across different service providers.
Will Out-of-Hours Urgent GP care will be provided?
Yes, out of hours, urgent GP care service will be covered.
I have applied for a Medical Card already; do I need to apply for a GP Visit Card separately?
If you have already applied for a Medical Card and the assessment outcome is not to grant Medical Card eligibility, you will be granted GP Visit Card eligibility provided you are aged 70 or older and are ordinarily resident in Ireland.
Source: hse.ie
Link to HSE site:
HSE – Medical Cards and GP Visit Cards.