Ó Caoláin challenges Martin over Medical Cards

Health minister Mícheál Martin

New income guidelines for Medical Card qualification mean that "families must choose which of their daily needs to do without in order to visit a GP with a sick child", said Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin this week. The Sinn Féin Health spokesperson challenged Health Minister Mícheál Martin in the Dáil on Tuesday over the Government's failure to fulfil its commitment to extend Medical Card qualification to the many more people on low incomes who so badly need it.

The Minister said that "due to the prevailing budgetary situation" it was "not possible" to meet Government's commitment to extend Medical Card qualification this year. He hoped to do so "within the lifetime of the Government". Ó Caoláin said he was almost speechless at that response. "I will do him one little courtesy by not referring to the Government's pre-2002 General Election promise to extend the Medical Card to more than 200,000 additional people because he is already sufficiently discredited on that point," he said.

"The Government's Health Strategy, under what it calls, 'National Goal No 2 — Fair Access', promises to increase income guidelines for medical cards. Last year a married couple aged up to 65 years were entitled to a medical card if their income was under €200. However, the Minister has indicated in his reply that that figure has been increased by €6.50 for the current year, which is a 3.25% increase. Was that the best the minister could do? If a married couple with two children under 16 years of age have an income of €260 per week, they will not qualify for a medical card.

Terrible choice

"Under the Minister's guidelines families with young children regularly face a terrible choice. To visit a GP costs between €30 and €50 depending on where in the country one is domiciled. Families must choose which of their daily needs to do without in order to visit a GP with a sick child. Up to one fifth, and in some cases one quarter of a weekly income is spent on the GP visit alone, before the cost of medication. Real needs, particularly those of children, which the Minister emphasised, are not being addressed because of the terrible and stark choices facing families.

"How does the Minister morally justify the extension of the Medical Card to all over the age of 70, regardless of income or means, while children up to the age of 18, some living in real or relative poverty do not have the benefit of a Medical Card? I do not believe that the Minister can morally justify that. This is a very serious matter affecting an increasing number of people because the curtailments and restrictions introduced on the Medical Card leave people in real poverty every day."

Ó Caolain pointed out that a decade ago, 36% of the population had access to medical cards but that today it is less than 30%.

New income guidelines

As of 1 January the new income guidelines (above which people do not normally qualify for Medical Card cover) are as follows: for a single person aged up to 65 years and living alone — €142.50; a single person aged between 66 and 69 years and living alone — €156; a single person aged up to 65 years and living with a family — €127; a single person aged between 66 and 69 years of age and living with a family — €134; a married couple aged up to 65 years — €206.50; and a married couple aged between 66 and 69 years — €231. The allowance for children under 16 years is €26 and is €27 for a dependant aged more than 16 years with no income maintained by the applicant. The allowance for outgoings on house, rent, etc. is €26, and for 'reasonable expenses necessarily incurred in travelling to work' the allowance is €23.