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Medical Card

  • 25-06-2008 9:55pm
    #1
    IamBeowulf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 432 ✭✭


    Myself and the GF just had a child. I'm working fulltime, my yearly income is somewhere between 30-36k gross. She's not working. Are we both entitled to medical cards? If so, how do we apply?

    Thanks


Comments

  • #2
    The_Conductor
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 32,286 Mod ✭✭✭✭The_Conductor


    First of all- you are actually earning above the average industrial wage.
    Is your girlfriend on maternity leave or receiving other benefits?
    As it stands- as you're not married you are treated as strangers to each other for tax purposes (though a new bill introduced this week aims to remedy this). Your girlfriend may be entitled to certain benefits- you, unless there are extenuating circumstances that you haven't listed, are not. The whole situation changes if you get married. :(


  • #3
    IamBeowulf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 432 ✭✭IamBeowulf


    Well see it's 28.4k per yr plus commission. I thought I read somewhere that fathers are means tested, i.e. rent, loan repayments etc are all taken off the income and the rest is assessed...?

    Also, my GF quit her job a month into the pregnancy, so she's not on maternity benefit. She's on disability due to complications. She's also awaiting child benefit and supplementary allowance I believe (I think that's the three-monthly additional payment). We haven't applied for family supplementary allowance, but we may be entitled, I don't know. Hope so, as money is TIGHT.

    30 odd thousand between a couple and a child is tough.


  • #4
    popebenny16
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,461 ✭✭✭popebenny16


    Medical Cards are means tested if you are under 70 years of age.

    If you are living together then the income cut off is €266.50 plus €38 per child per week., Gross less tax and PRSI.

    You also get an allowance for "reasonabe expenses" and these are at the discretion of the local HSE office, you should ring your health centre and ask for the Community Welfare Officer in your area who will fill you in.

    Your situation is interesting regarding your partner, she would get the Card if she was on a benifit but not living with you. It's not clear if she is on one or not.

    Dont forget the GP only Medical Card. This is a higher means test and may be within your reach:

    http://www.hse.ie/eng/find_a_service/entitlements/Medical_Card_GP_Visit_Card_Income_Guidelines.pdf

    Also, dont forget that you can always benifit from the Drugs Refund Payments scheme and get tax relief at the end of the year by filing a Med1 cert with your local tax office.


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