Medical Card Ireland

Apply for your Irish Medical Card from the HSE, ONLINE today

This app allows you to apply online instantly for an Irish Medical Card

This is an unofficial app for the HSE but includes all the updated information, forms and news about the Irish Medical Card such as requirements, eligibility, prescription payments, doctor gp visits, over 70 medical cards etc

Also includes a FREE Health Hero ebook

If you have a medical card issued by the Health Service Executive (HSE) you can receive certain health services free of charge. Normally, your dependent spouse or partner and your children are also covered for the same range of health services.

To qualify for a medical card, your weekly income must be below a certain figure for your family size. Cash income, savings, investments and property (except for your own home) are taken into account in the means test.

GP Visit Cards: If you do not qualify for a medical card on income grounds, you may qualify for a GP Visit Card.

What health services are normally covered?
If you have a medical card, you are entitled to:

Free GP (family doctor) services
Prescribed drugs and medicines — some prescription charges apply
In-patient public hospital services, out-patient services and medical appliances
Dental, optical and aural services
Maternity and infant care services
Some personal and social care services, for example, public health nursing, social work services and other community care services
A maternity cash grant of €10.16 on the birth of each child
Other benefits
Medical card holders pay the Universal Social Charge on their income (except for social welfare and HSE payments), but at a maximum rate of 4%. The only exemption is for people earning less than €10,036 per annum. Medical card holders may also be exempt from paying school transport charges and State exam fees in publicly-funded second-level schools. There may also be financial help with buying school books in certain schools.

Rules

Means test
Normally, your total income is taken into account in the means test for the medical card.

There are different guidelines for the means test depending on your age:

Means test rules for people under 70 years of age
Means test rules for people over 70 years of age
The assessment of a couple for medical card purposes is based on the age of the older person.

If your income is above the limit you may still be able to obtain a medical card if your circumstances would result in hardship without one. See the Assessment Guidelines in Further information below for details.

People who are exempt from the means test
Those with EU entitlement — see 'Further information' below
People affected by the drug Thalidomide
Women who have had a symphysiotomy
Other categories
Medical cards are usually granted to children in foster care.

People aged 16–25, including students, who are financially independent of their parents may be entitled to a medical card if they pass the means test. If they are financially dependent on their parents they are normally only entitled to a medical card if their parents have one.

After your card is issued
If your circumstances change you must inform the HSE as you may no longer be eligible. For example, if your income or family circumstances change, you must inform the Client Registration Unit as soon as possible — see 'How to apply' below. Your card will be reviewed periodically