michaelm said:
Are you suggesting that although I do not qualify for a medical card there is a mechanism whereby I can get one for my child?
Yes, but remember, entitlement to medical cards is a complex area, so I'll try to keep this simple.
It's not simply a case of where you are not entitled to a medical card that your child can automatically obtain a card in their own right.
There are however some situations where a child may be granted a medical card in their own right even though the parent wouldn't ordinarily qualify on income grounds. That is, the parents income may be larger than the income guidelines for entitlement to medical cards normally allow.
Examples of such instances might include (e.g. where the child has a certain medical condition that requires significant ongoing treatment, or the child has a disability where treatment for that condition places (or could place) the family under a burden of undue financial hardship. In such cases, the child may be granted a medical card in their own right for either a defined period (i.e. the period of treatment), or a longer period as determined by the HSE Area.
Another example where children are granted medical cards in their own right includes children placed in long- or short-term foster care. In that instance, the child is entitled to a medical card (or care equivalent to that provided by a medical card) in their own right - even though the birth family (or the foster family) of the child may actually have an income in excess of the income guidelines.
Yet another example of where children are entitled to a medical card where the parents may not be, includes children affected by the drug Thalidomide. (I don't believe however this affects a significant amount of the population any more).
People (including children) who contracted Hep C through the use of Anti-D or other blood product or transfusion are entitled to a Hep C Health Amendment Act Card. This card provides them with equivalent entitlements (and often enhanced) as a medical card.
There is also an entitlement to a medical card under EU provisions relating to employed/self-employed people, pensioners and their dependents who are residing in Ireland provided they are not liable to contribute to the Irish social insurance system, or in receipt of an Irish social welfare payment).
As I mentioned earlier, I could go on, but this is a complex area.
Apart from some of those I mention above who have automatic entitlements to medical cards, the general rule is that the HSE will take each case on it's own merits and evaluations are on the basis of the medical conditions concerned and whether or not the family can provide for any costs associated with care without incurring undue hardship.
In my experience however, the granting of medical cards to children in families where they would not normally qualify generally tends to relate to children with serious medical conditions or disabilities, where the normal costs of providing adequate care would put a family under serious financial pressures.
Sorry for the long response but I hope this has clarified matters.