# Changing Doctor while on Medical card - advice please?



## witchymand (4 May 2005)

Is there a load of red tape if you want to change your gp whilst on the medical card, do you have to get loads of forms signed by the dole etc etc?
Or is it just straightforward.
Thanks in advance for advice.


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## Purple (4 May 2005)

Talk to the GP you want to move too. It shouldn't be a big deal.


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## mo3art (5 May 2005)

You need to request that you be taken off your current gp's register and placed on your gp of choice.
On paper it sounds easy, but many gps have a quota of medical cards and are reluctant to take on anymore.  Your local citizen's advice bureau would have a list of medical card doctors in your area.
HTH


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## eoflaherty (19 May 2005)

It should be quite simple to move but it is not always so. Contact your Health Board (now Health Services Executive) and ask for a "Change of Doctor" form.Contact a new doctor and ask if he or she will take you on.If he does he will sign the form and once it is registered in the HSE he will be paid for looking after you.Not all doctors take on everybody who comes their way.Some only take on people in the local area for example but in most cases you should be able to get a new doctor without great difficulty.In the centre of Dublin and in old working class areas there is a definite shortage of doctors.This also applies  in quite a few areas of north Dublin.I note for example that there is only one doctor in Dublin 17 in the Irish Medical Directory.


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## Grumpy (20 May 2005)

Have just done so for my old mother.
Process I followed was:-
Got a recommendation for a new GP.
Contacted new GP and asked if she was willing to take on Medical card holder.
She asked for GMS number and told me to inform old GP by letter of change  and request medical data be sent to her.


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## Rose (13 Oct 2005)

Query can anyone answer this please, if one has a medical card entitlement from an English social security pension, does this entitle one to the free schemes here in Ireland? Person obviously living in Ireland.  Should have said person won't be 66 until next year


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## ClubMan (13 Oct 2005)

Does  help with the last query?


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## CMCR (14 Oct 2005)

If you are receiving a social security pension from another EU/EEA member state and you are not also receiving an Irish social welfare pension (and are not employed or self-employed here), you are entitled to a medical card. Occupational pensions don't affect your entitlement. 

If you're receiving a social security pension from another member state AND you have an income from Ireland, (i.e., a social welfare pension or income from employment or self-employment) that is liable for social insurance (PRSI) contributions, then you come under the normal rules for deciding whether or not you qualify for a medical card. This means that you must be over 70 or pass the means/medical need requirements. You can . 

(By the way, the income guidelines for medical cards were increased by 20% yesterday and the information in the above link is correct).

While you mention the issue of 'free schemes' - what exactly are you referring to - ?


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## sherib (14 Oct 2005)

CMCR - You seem to be extraordinarily knowledgeable in this area so could you please clarify the following. Nothing I saw on OASIS helped.


> Originally posted by CMCR
> If you are receiving a social security pension from another EU/EEA member state and you are not also receiving an Irish social welfare pension (and are not employed or self-employed here), you are entitled to a medical card. Occupational pensions don't affect your entitlement.


 
Some years ago I was led to believe that someone in receipt of a small UK state pension (as a result of working there for a number of years) while also receiving a public service retirement pension here (BTW is that an occupational pension?) would be entitled to a medical card here on non means tested grounds. I am now wondering if this was correct information? Couldn't find any clarification about this on OASIS apart from the Household Benefits Package: 


> From Oasis re HBP
> An equivalent Social Security Pension/Benefit from a country covered by EU Regulations, or from a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement


I have passed this (possibly incorrect) information on to a few people but now doubt its validity.


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## CMCR (17 Oct 2005)

To clarify my earlier posting in relation to entitlement to medical cards on the basis of EU entitlement. 

You say you are in receipt of a social security pension from another EU/EEA member state (i.e., UK). An Irish public service retirement pension is not a social welfare pension. 

On the basis of the information you supplied above, once you are not either working or self-employed here (i.e., liable to pay social insurance - PRSI in Ireland), you are entitled to a medical card. You don't have to fulfil the means test requirements. Your HSE Area is of course entitled to check your means but they are really just checking your liability to pay PRSI here.  

I've just checked this information again this morning and it is correct. You will of course be [broken link removed], (i.e., the medical card won't be issued to you automatically). 

Your local health centre (or HSE Area) will have a list of Doctors who provide services to medical card holders in your local area.  Staff in your health centre can answer any other questions regarding the length of time it will take to process your card, etc.  

I'm a little confused as to what you are asking regarding the Household Benefits Package.  Anyone aged 70 or over permanently residing (on an all-year round basis) in Ireland is entitled to the Household Benefits Package.  If you are under 70 years, whether or not you qualify will depend on other factors (your age for example, or whether you are in receipt of another qualifying payment), etc. I might suggest you take a quick look through the DSFA booklet that deals with Household Benefits (you can view it online here)

Staff in your local social welfare office can help advise on your Household Benefit entitlement.  

I hope this has been of assistance.


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## sherib (17 Oct 2005)

Hi there CMCR - thanks very much for your explanation. BTW I didn't say I was "in receipt of a social security pension from another EU/EEA member state.." Maybe I wasn't very clear but it's not so easy asking Qs for someone else.

I know someone who _might_ be eligible due to being in receipt of a very small UK pension. I was hoping you could post _a link_ which states that without ambiguity. The only reason I mentioned the _Household Benefits Package_ is because OASIS does state clearly that a person is eligible for that, among other criteria, _if the person is in receipt of an equivalent Social Security Pension/Benefit from a country covered by EU Regulations....._ Is there a similar link about Medical Cards and if so could you post it please? 

Is it correct that even if not working or self-employed, if the person pays PRSI that means they are not eligible? I've checked and the person concerned pays tax and PRSI on an Irish Occupational Pension, so does that preclude eligibility? I don't know the class or rate of PRSI. Sorry for all these questions but I don't think the person concerned would fill out that MC form unless they're fairly certain of being eligible - if that makes sense! Are you Colm Rapple by any chance? I don't expect an answer to that!


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## BillK (18 Oct 2005)

I checked this out with the South Eastern Health Board last year; If you are not recieving any social benefits from the State in Ireland or are employed in Ireland and are in receipt of social benefits from another EU country then you are entitled to a Medical Card.

I was checking because we were planning to move to Ireland and my wife uses medication for an underactive thyroid gland  (here in  England anyone over the age of 60 gets all prescriptions free) and as she will need to use it for the rest of her life the cost could have been prohibitive.

The proposed move all came to nothing in the end as my dear daughter in law produced our first grandchild and I would now need a train to pull my wife out of England.


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