A single person over 70 with an income up to 600 a week will keep their medical cards.

A single person over 70 with an income of between 600 and 700 a week will quailfy for a GP card

A couple over 70 with an income up to 1200 a week will keep their medical cards.

A couple over 70 with an income between 1200 and 1400 a week will qualify for a GP card.

What exactly is wrong with this? People that are still working supporting young families are not on much more than this and don’t qualify for a medical card.

There was a great interview on Corks 96 FM this morning with a young Lady who spoke about the consequences of cutting her mobility allowance will have on her.
It nearly brought tears to my eyes when she said that the allowance paid for her to go to a local respite center where she got to chance to integrate with other people who also had disabilities and it helped to give her a small bit of dignity.
When she said that the 190 euros a week she gets on disability allowance was all she had to live on and that she could not afford to pay for a taxi out of that a local cab driver rang in to tell her not to worry that he would accommodate her free of charge for her trips to the respite center.
The Government are a joke and every body should do themselves a favor and download the podcast and listen to why that taxi driver is that young ladies hero…and mine too

What’s the problem here. If your income is over €600 pw take home you get free doctors visits.
Personally I think all medical treatment should be free. Paid for by national insurance for all. But till we have a gov not terrified of insurance companies and vested interests it is what it is. A broke system.

Anybody remember FG/Labour promising free GP visits … i know its a long time ago… just over 2 years ago, just before the general election?
OK, put that with all the other lies from FF/FFG/Labour … and the usual response….. ‘its normal to promise things in the run up to election… from all 3 partys and you figure out very quickly, what is wrong … the three partys love p*ssing on electoral commitments..

In the North … Free GP, Free Prescriptions (or 1 sixteenth our costs if you do have to pay), free schooling (really free schooling, ie uniforms, books, ‘Donations’), bin charges, fire-brigade, school lunches, water charges, property charges, road-repairs, local authori\ty charges, … along with 2-3 week aiting lisrt for hosiptals… so you dont need VHI/BUPA Health insurance…

Versus our 2-900 euro property tax that doesnt cover any of the above????? What the hell are we doing in supporting the 3 main party’s

Hows about just taking the medical cards off those who’ve never worked a day in their lives instead of off those who’ve paid taxes all theirs?

Less than €600 a week. That’s a decent working salary for many of their juniors. This government really does like to protect the rich.

The end of any notion of a universal , single tier health care system for all.

I was talking to a Norwegian and explained our system to her. She said that all ill people in Norway are treated as equal with equal priority. You can’t buy yourself preferential treatment.

The right approach would be a single tier care system with free and universal access for all funded by higher taxes especially higher taxes paid by the higher income earners. Private medical insurance and tax relief on medical and hospital expenses actually introduces inefficiency, wastage and undue pricing complexity into the funding of health care in Ireland.

Equal access and equal priority depending on need is the way to go.

Assuming the majority of these 70+ folks have no mortgages etc, then I think its fair. Lots of us middle aged earning same and paying out 50 quid per doc visit + medication!!! Country is a f**king joke!!!

Prescriptions in the north are free since I think July 2010 for everyone regardless of income or circumstances. Before then it was free for under 16s, pregnant women etc

Families still need to pay for uniforms and a school bag but everything else is free as regards books pens pencils folders etc. Meals are subsidised. Remember my sister had to pay 1.50 per day for a full hot dinner which is very cheap.

It is interesting that this measure is already undermining inter generational solidarity. Younger people financially crippled by huge mortgages, reducing income and increased taxes lose empathy for the older generation which they see as parasitical and comfortable. The Government will be pleased by the divisiveness.

Better to blame the old than to blame the politicians. The political strategists will be rubbing their hands in glee.

While I don’t agree to the cuts to disability allowances and such. I do agree with this. I’m sorry but if an over 70 is gettin up to €600 a week that’s €2400 a month which I can tell ya is nearly double what my monthly wages is. . . And as the porter said above, there is the drug payment scheme. And most people of that age don’t have a mortgage. . While its the likes of your very ordinarily Joe Soap who is penalized for working. I think a total reform of the whole health system and social welfare system is needed. Weed out the proper needy to the ones scamming the system.

I am very happy to be working because I was out of work for 2 years and even then I wasn’t entitled to half of what I heard other claiming for. But on the other hand why should I work my arse off week in week out to just be able to survive! I can’t afford to save , never mind go to the doctor which is 60 quid a pop. My back is badly damaged and I need to do physio 3 – 4 times a week which I can’t afford.

So should the system not be fair for everyone. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not looking for hand outs or sympathy but I can tell ya if I had €600 a week coming in I’d be laughing!

Should be means tested for everyone make the system fairer.

I’m confused. When Fianna Fail tried to do away with universal medical cards, it was the end of civilisation. But now it’s ok?

Abolish gun control and allow an open shooting season on any one over the age of 60. We will then not be a burden on society or on the health service.

As an over 60 year old, I have seen the Americanisation off Irish society, the removal of universal access to health care and the reduction in compassion.

I have had to cancel VHI so as to meet the new taxes, I have three years to run on my mortgage and after forced early retirement, I better not get sick. Once the mortgage is paid off, living a frugal life will enable me to survive if the property tax stays low. I am one of the lucky ones.

Survival will be tough. I don’t admire those who have governed and continue to govern our country. This country has not been a country for old people for some years.

Stupid bloody system anyway. … protects the interest s of so called consultants and insurance companies. .. like the system in America that over rewards the rich and over penalises the poor. … that awful woman that used to be minister for health has destroyed the system even more. … we are not the USA and we can’t realise the same economies of scale to have Robber Barons fleecing our small population… listening to the inconsistent, vague and nonsensical arguements on here indicate s that the consultants lobby acting in cohorts with idiot law makers have succeeded in successfully dividing the spoils amongst each other at the expense of our medically needy and also the most vulnerable members of our society such as the elderly regardless of ability to pay

You could not keep Alex White out of the media when he was in opposition . He is definitely a one term wonder so best of luck sweating out the next 3 years

Yes, turning on each other is better than having a single tier free access to all universal health care system which is properly designed and run.

As a 35 year or more former VHI member, the cancer in the health soupy stem and the factor which has distorted the economic pricing of health care services is private medical health insurance.

Still it’s is better that we bicker with each other than that we put the Government under pressure by seeking rational and coherent reform of a totally dysfunctional system as to resource allocation and cost.

The other dimension is the unacceptable high cost of senior HSE salaries as well as a Department of Health & Children which has over 600 civil servants and performs very little function except on refining the defectively designed regulatory and policy of health administration in this country. There is so much wastage in back office administration and support with excessive salaries for the upper echelons, including the medical consultants.

The dichotomy between public and private health care is not working. There’s the real rub but we don’t want to confront that.

Good. Why should the working poor and needy pay for the rich over 70′s?

Patsy White oops!!! I mean Alex White has been rolled out to take the hit on this one I see, gives O’Reilly a bit of a breather I suppose…….. anyways Labour are screwed and have been for some time. As for the over 70′s well lets hope they have the money stashed under the mattress and not in the banks.

Its a joke. €599 per week and they still get a medical. Most over 70′s don’t have a mortgage or rent to pay, so they can easily pay medical bills.

This country has gone bananas with self entitlement.

What will it take for Irish to organize a mass rally and oust them. If not now, when?. Marketers, interneters, and coders, put your heads together.

In other words “Dear old people, do us a favour an die as quick as possible thanks”

A couple over 70 earning up to €1200 a week can keep their medical card! Yet a couple under 70 working and paying taxes earning @ €750 a week take home between them cant even get a GP card!!! Yes by all means give the ppl who need a medical card one but cut out those who dont!!

It’s only right, why should you get everything free if you are over 70. What about the people who are over 70 and use their MONEY to go private then expect free prescriptions etc. . . Plus isn’t there a drug payment scheme where you pay a max of roughly 35 a week for prescription medications? I don’t get why people are so annoyed they are trying to make it a fairer system for everyone. Can’t keep expecting the working class young and middle aged adults to carry all the burden while there are some very comfortable retired people.

Enda may come home quick and jump on the back of a lorry condemning this as reprehensible in a show of support for over 70s….just like he done 3 years ago.

” a caring christian society ”
i would settle for a caring society – which this is not . Not a word from the dog collars – but how they shout when sex is on the agenda – hypocrites .
the poor fools that died for our ” freedom ” must be turning in their graves

What’s the issue ? 600 a week you can afford private health insurance. Between 60 /69 retired with pension of approx 500 per week your not entitled to Gp card never mind med card

What kills me more is the government are talking out of both sides of the same mouth on free healthcare for all for so long now . They spoke about patients with diabetes being given full medical cards followed by those with chronic illnesses . None of this has Ben delivered as promised in fact I know people in these groups who have lost their cards and they are far from rolling in it . What sickens me is seeing people drive up to surgeries in recently registered BMWs producing medical cards when people with chronic illnesses who shouldn’t have to think about the cost of their healthcare are losing theirs . Something very wrong there

600 euros a week and you wont get a medical card if you are over 70 years of age…where are Labour going to draw their support in the next election. Of course people over 70 do not get sick so they wont have to worry about this latest cut.

By some posters logic here people like our retired politicians on pensions of 100/150 thousands per year should be intitled to a medical card,these pensions even without a medical card are obsene and under no circumstances should they be provided with a MC.

it doesnt matter who you vote in they only serve themselves they careless about eldery special needs familys gay straight working hard or not the result will always be the same democracy doesnt exist here in Ireland or anywhere else we are all just slaves for the greedy rich

All ministers have that leech/piece of s#%t look!

went to the doctor in Malta last month to dress a cut he only charged me 15 euro, and if he was just sending me to the local hospital on the EII Card he would have only charged 10 euro as he would not have treated me

Remember these clowns next election.

Shame on the Labour Party all social benefits that were build up
Over the years for all people of this country have been eroded under this government.

Not enough I say !!! Let us go all the way ! What need have the over 70s for medical cards, or a roof over their heads, or food or savings? Euthanasia is the only answer. What use have we for them? They are a drain on our resources. Let us rid ourselves of the unemployed, the sick, the disabled, all those on social welfare, the retired, the non Irish nationals, gays, travellers and anybody else we deem to be a drain on our society.
Sound familiar ?? We don’t have to go back too far to see what happened in Europe when people were duped into that way of thinking. IT IS TIME TO CALL A HALT !!
Demand that your local TD come clean on how they vote on all the austerity measures. Publicise their total net income including all allowances for the past year.

I’m unemployed after 38 yrs continuous employment. I get €243 per week UB for myself and my wife and son (who is still in college) . I do not have a stash under the bed either. The HSE has determined I don’t qualify for a medical card but a doctors visit card only. Go figure .

Look they’ve appeased so many groups over time they don’t even know who should and shouldn’t pay. You can have up to 36k in savings and still qualify for a medical card based on earnings. I’m actually considering going into the GP and not paying on the way out due to lack of savings.

Yes man Mr white wheeled out to hammer the pensioners , protect the elderly is right

That’s a sin!! Wait till they get old

Typical of this government or should I say kenny and his muppets.
They have gone out there way to attack the elderly people one way or another.

Independent TD Denis Naughten said that a number of anomalies were not being addressed and claimed that people who are in work are being penalised “in favour of people whose sole income is social welfare and it discourages people who are on social welfare to go back into employment”.
Does this mean that he considers people on social welfare to be criminals or fraudsters – or does he just like kicking people when they’re down.? What a muppet.

Disgraceful ! Basically any over 70 on an average pension loses out eh?

After nearly 40 years working iv been out of work over 3 years iv been ill for the last year my wife has been ill for the last 3 months we don’t have a medical card we still have one child in school and a mortgage now the property tax notice has arrived along with all the medical costs and fuel bills i dont know were its suppose to come from,they say you cant bleed a stone but these bastards are doing a good job of it id be better putting a rope around my neck

“take the medical cards off those who haven’t worked a day in their life”What a humanitarian you are to be sure. What about hose who CAN’T work because of illness or disability? What about those like me who worked and paid tax from the time I was 11 years old until I was crippled in a car accident in 2007? What about those who are out of work and not paying tax [as if that's going to happen] because they can’t get a poxy job because the Irish employers are using the cheap labor guaranteed by allowing in droves of spongers from outside the EU? This government is a disgrace and we are all equally guilty for tolerating the bastards taxing us into poverty after working all our lives.

Another nail in Labour’s coffin…..

I’m struck by the amount of controversies and unpopular legislation passed by the government in the dead of night. Got to be a reason for this

Reading these comments is a bit frightening. What struck me most is the ignorance, insensitivity and plain stupidity of the comments. its not a them or us situation at all but hey, why not turn it into lets get old people contest because how dare they have a decent lifestyle and spend their money how they please while the rest of us self righteous and hard done by gits are struggling!!!
Why oh why do you think old people should not have a decent lifestyle. How do you know they have no outgoings or commitments – lots of assumptions going on here methinks! Lots of older people support their children and grandchildren financially and emotionally and it’s not a competition between older people and younger people. Old people come in all shapes and sizes with different lifestyles, attitudes, politics and beliefs.
However, all older people are vulnerable in an ageist and uncaring society; and for a lot of old people old age brings ill health, infirmities and vulnerabilities. Old age is universal and comes to all at some point and when it comes it brings lots of disrespect and discrimination as seen in the comments here! You can tell a lot about a country by the way it treats the elderly and disadvantaged! Or perhaps compulsory euthanasia is your choice – you’d really save a few bob then!
Instead of getting hot and bothered at the elderly ( easy target ) why don’t you put the shit back where it belongs after all the elderly didn’t cause the financial crisis.

Who exactly is Howard White ? Never heard of him. What is minister for state for health.Whats Dr James Reilly do ?.