Medical Cards Ireland

Medical Cards  : People who hold a Medical Card are entitled to a range of Health Services free of charge.

There are 1,787,839  people covered by Medical Cards in Ireland according to the HSE as of  April 2012. This is an increase of 131000 compared to April 2011. (7.9%)
The number of people with GP Visit cards is 128,929 – which has also increased since April 2011 by about 8000 (6.5%) .

Medical cards are issued mainly on the basis of having a low income. Some people qualify based on age (over 70's get one if their income is below  €700 for a single person and €1400 for a couple.)
If you have a Medical Card - all the following are FREE

• Doctor Visits -
• Prescription Medicines: ( A 50c 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 belong to one of the following groups, you will get a Medical Card under EU Regulations:

• You are living in Ireland and receiving a social security payment from another European Union  country or Switzerland and you are not getting an Irish social welfare payment
  (apart from Child Benefit or Early Childcare Supplement). You must not be liable to contribute to the Irish Social Welfare System, (i.e. PRSI)
• You are living in Ireland and working in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland and are liable to pay Social Insurance Contributions in that country. (Includes Northern  Ireland)
• You are living in Ireland and you are the dependent spouse or child of someone employed in another EU/EEA country and Switzerland. You must not be getting an Irish Social Welfare Payment apart from Child Benefit or Early Childcare Supplement and you must not be liable to contribute to the Irish social welfare system