Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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1915.To ask the Minister for Health the income thresholds which now apply for the medical card and for the GP-only card; the current level of population eligible for each scheme; and the way the level of take-up has changed over the past twelve months due to the relaxed eligibility conditions.[35842/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Eligibility for a medical card is primarily based on a financial assessment which is conducted by the HSE in accordance with the Health Act 1970. The HSE assesses each medical card application on a qualifying financial threshold. This is the amount of money that an individual can earn a week and still qualify for a card. It is specific to the individual’s own financial circumstances.

Persons under 70 are assessed under the general means tested medical card thresholds which are based on an applicant’s household income after tax and the deduction of PRSI and the Universal Social Charge. Certain expenses are also taken into account. Examples of allowable expenses include rent, mortgage, certain insurance costs, childcare, maintenance, nursing home net costs which help to increase the amount a person can earn and still qualify for a medical card. Detailed guidelines are available from the HSE website.

Persons aged 70 or older are assessed under medical card income thresholds which are based on gross income. The weekly gross medical card income thresholds for people aged 70 and over are currently €550 per week for a single person and €1050 for a couple.

The current medical card thresholds for those under 70 are outlined below by cohort:

• Single person living alone under 66 - € 184.00
• Single person living alone 66-69 - € 201.50
• Single person living with family under 66 - € 164.00
• Single person living with family 66-69 - € 173.50
• Couple, married/cohabiting/civil partners, one parent family under 66 - € 266.50
• Couple, married/cohabiting/civil partners, one parent family 66-69 - € 298.00

All children under 8 years of age and persons aged 70 years and over are eligible for a GP visit card on the basis of their age.

Following the median household income expansion, the current basic rates which are used in determining an individual's qualifying weekly financial threshold for eligibility for a GP visit card are:

• Single person living alone aged up to 69: €418
• Single person living with family: €373
• Married or co-habiting couple with or without dependents: €607
• Lone parent: €607

To be eligible for a means-tested GP visit card the applicant’s weekly net income must be below their qualifying financial threshold. The qualifying threshold calculation takes into consideration the applicant’s particular expenses as well as their income, allowing for those who have a higher income but also experience high expenses to potentially qualify. This method helps to ensure that those with the least means to pay for GP services are eligible for GP care without charges.

As of the 1^stof August, 1,580,666 persons hold a medical card and 690,863 persons hold a GP visit card, which means that 43% of the population have access to GP services without charge. It is not possible to calculate the current number of persons eligible for either card. However, as all persons under 8 years of age, all those aged 70 and over, and all those earning up to the median household income are eligible for a GP visit card, over half the population are eligible for GP care without charges.

Uptake of eligibility for children aged 6 and 7 has been very strong, although uptake under the median income expansion has been lower than expected. A new public information campaign to encourage to encourage GP visit card uptake is being prepared and is to commence shortly. In total, there are approximately 138,000 more GP visit card holders as of August this year than in August 2023 prior to the commencement of both expansions.