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The Government authorisation given this week to enable them to make the necessary decisions to return medical cards and GP visit cards has been welcomed. Photo: iStock

There has been a welcome this week for the restoration of over 15,000 medical cards to those who are in medical need. The decision affects all those who had a medical card or GP visit card withdrawn following a review (and/or an appeal) between 1 July 2011 and 31 May 2014 i.e. since the centralisation of medical card processing.

Fine Gael TD Tom Barry, told The Avondhu: “I am extremely pleased that the cabinet has made this move. I have worked very hard on ensuring that this government recognised that this was a major mistake. It is good government to be able to admit that a mistake was made and move to rectify it. I will continue to advocate for a much more humane and sensible approach to medical card allocation.

The HSE equally welcomed the Government authorisation given this week to enable them to make the necessary decisions to return medical cards and GP visit cards to those with a lifelong medical condition, acute illness or disability, who had been granted a card on a discretionary basis, and who lost their card following a review, since July 2011.

This week’s decision provides a basis on which discretionary medical or GP visit cards can be returned to over 15,000 people. These cards will be valid until July 2015.

The HSE will now commence the process of reinstating medical cards and GP visit cards to all those affected. It is estimated that this process will take 3 weeks. No action is required on the part of those affected; the HSE will be in contact with all those affected in the coming weeks.

The HSE’s decision to suspend reviews of medical cards where discretion is being applied, i.e. where the individual is over the income threshold but discretion is being applied as a result of medical circumstances, will also continue.

The breakdown of cards expected to be restored are as follows: Move from GP visit card (back) to a medical card – 7,118; Medical Cards restored – 5,288; GP visit cards restored – 2,899.

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