# Invalidity pension & Medical Card.



## DirectDevil (22 Aug 2008)

A mate of mine was given an invalidity pension by Social Welfare as he has a long term illness that has totally screwed him medically.

He was told by SW that because he was on the invalidity pension he became entitled to a medical card from the HSE- he is only 40.

The HSE say that he has to give them all the blurb about income that you give if you are applying for a means tested card. He thinks that the medical card is an automatic entitlement because of his invalidity pension from SW and that therefore he does not have to give this information as it is of no relevance.

Does any one know if the medical card is an automatic entitlement for people on invalidity pension ? If so, why would HSE want information about his finances if his entitlement is automatic ?

I would appreciate any information as I am trying to help out a mate who is just getting messed around by different people telling him contradictory things. I must say also that the HSE have been entirely less than helpful thus far.


----------



## Jody (23 Aug 2008)

the only thing you are automatically given is a free travel scheme card,the medical card is not part of the package and is means tested so it needs to be applied for separately, if it is not awarded a GP card is second best


----------



## justsally (23 Aug 2008)

Sorry to have to tell you that a Medical Card is not an automatic entitlement for all Invalidity pensioners. Means testing does come into the equation. If he has no other monies or income sources he would probably be eligible for a medical card based on the Invalidity pension rate alone, but such matters as to whether or not your friend is living alone or with dependents or indeed is financially dependent on and being supported financially by another member of the household etc can be an influence in the Department of Health's decision. However, if your friend has a lot of medical bills, i.e. for doctors visits, chemist bills etc. which are likely to be ongoing he could apply for a medical card in his own right (for himself alone as opposed to a family medical card). In addition to completing the standard medical card application form he should supply a letter from his local G.P. and hospital doctor/s supporting his claim. This is quite a common practice and his doctors etc. won't be suprised if and when he asks for such a letter/s.

Hope things work out for him


----------



## gipimann (23 Aug 2008)

The only persons who have an automatic entitlement to a medical card are those aged 70 and over.   Everyone else is means-tested, regardless of their circumstances.


----------



## justsally (23 Aug 2008)

gipimann said:


> Everyone else is means-tested, regardless of their circumstances.


????????

 [broken link removed]

*Medical card/GP visit card*
Everyone over the age of 70 years is entitled to a medical card.If you are under the age of 70 you must normally satisfy a means-test* (unless you qualify under EU rules or because you are suffering from Hepatitis C).*


----------



## gipimann (23 Aug 2008)

Ok, I forgot about the EU regulations exemption when I said everyone else was means-tested - sorry!   

The card issued to Hepatitis C patients (who contracted the disease from the anti-d blood product) is called the _Health Amendment Act Card_, and is not a Medical Card.   It provides cover for more services than a Medical card does - most notably counselling for the patient and her family.


----------



## DirectDevil (29 Aug 2008)

Thanks for the replies.

Sorted. He is plainly not entitled to a medical card.

What happened was that he read form SW44 to mean that a card was automatic. SW explained that it is not. It was a problem of documentary interpretation.

I read form SW44. It is worded ambiguously. Good job it was not a contract law problem or SW would have been roasted under the contra proferentum interpretation rule..... However, this is how we learn.

Thanks again.


----------

