Medical card

Charisma

Does anyone know where I could find out if someone who has had cancer and is currently managing to hold down their job but is not on great money is entitled to a medical card for the necessary doctors visits and medications that have to be taken after treatment.

FluffyCat

I have two uncle who currently have cancer.
One has a medical card but only due to the fact that his cancer is terminal.
The second has cancer and cant work. His cancer is not terminal but is not allowed a medical card.
You would really need to ring the health board and ask.
I've applied for a medical card myself but the wait is over 12 weeks at the moment.
Hope this helps

jeckle

HSE Website :
‘If your income is above the HSE income guidelines for your circumstances, you may still be entitled to a Medical Card on the grounds that paying for your medical costs causes you undue financial hardship. Such an example would be if you had an ongoing medical condition that required exceptional and regular medical treatment, or visits to the doctor or hospital.’

‘Your eligibility for a Medical Card is assessed first. If unsuccessful you are automatically assessed for a GP Visit Card.’

‘If your assessed means are still more than the GP Visit Card guidelines you may still qualify for a GP Visit Card on the grounds that your medical costs causes you undue financial hardship. Such an example would be if you had an ongoing medical condition that required exceptional and regular medical treatment, or visits to the doctor or hospital.’

If the patient lives in Dublin they apply to the HSE or if they live outside Dublin they apply to their local Community Welfare Officer. An application on the grounds of hardship is meant to be assessed on an individual basis, so don't get put off by the application form, as the same one is used by everyone.

The last thing a cancer patient needs is to be stressing over money, or about filling in forms or appealing decisions, but unfortunately that is what they have to do. It’s harder to get a Medical Card/GP Visit Card of you fall foul of the bog standard eligibility conditions, but many patients do succeed, quite a lot have to appeal the original decision but succeed in the end.

The best thing to do if at all possible is to physically apply in person – that way you can highlight the fact that you are applying on the grounds of undue hardship & explain your situation to a ‘real person’ & ask if you should include any further information/documentation than you already have.

You should gather together all receipts for drugs, treatment & GP visits, any other costs related to the condition, overdrawn bank account charges, missed payment reminders, outstanding bills etc. The more of this you have the better.

You should attach a letter outlining exactly why you feel your application should be considered. Include everything from the financial stress/hardship to the emotional stress, worrying about your health, your future & trying to hold down a job, getting time off for doctor’s appointments, tests & clinics, paying household & medical bills, looking after & worrying about children, cost of travelling to & fro all while managing a serious illness.

You should get a letter from your GP recommending, considering the nature of the illness & the effects it is having on you & your family, that you be awarded a Medical Card.

You should also get a letter from your Oncology Nurse detailing the same.

I can’t stress how important it is to get these letters, as, realistically you would need them for an appeal anyway & you could possibly avoid having to appeal if you put a strong enough case forward to begin with.

Lastly, keep photocopies of EVERYTHING that you attach to your application, as well as a photocopy of your completed application form.

Expect your first application to be refused & appeal straight away. Initially you will have to get your rejected application reviewed by the same office & then you can submit an appeal. The appeals are processed & decided by completely different set of people who refused you in the first place, so don’t be afraid to do it.

One last thing, do not feel guilty about applying or appealing & I hope everything works out well

byhookorbycrook

friend has cancer, got card no prob.

The_Conductor

You are phrasing this in the past tense- someone has had cancer- this would imply they have had treatment and are now managing to hold down a job. Accordingly- they would be subject to normal DSFA & HSE rules concerning eligibility for a medical card and/or other benefits. You do not have an automatic entitlement to a medical card and/or any other benefits.

LegacyUser

The best thing to do is write to the medical card department and ask if there is any way the person can get a card if the GP confirms they need the meds. There would probably be a means test of income and savings. As stated in other posts keep copies of everything.

i do not know the rules etc but I have pain which responds to massage that is not available on med card which i have. I am about to ask if they would allow me the massage if my doctor says, as he truthfully can, that i have bad side effects from painkillers. I probably won't be successful but my first para above is how i intend to investigate the possibility.

Also ask for rules and regulations which apply in writing

The_Conductor

Don't push for 'rules and regulations'. There is a small degree of discretion normally- if you go hammering down the door looking for 'rules and regulations'- any degree of discretion they might be inclined to exercise will go out the window- and they will do absolutely everything by the letter of the law.

LegacyUser

smccarrick wrote: »

Don't push for 'rules and regulations'. There is a small degree of discretion normally- if you go hammering down the door looking for 'rules and regulations'- any degree of discretion they might be inclined to exercise will go out the window- and they will do absolutely everything by the letter of the law.

I wonder really how much the rules and regulations and discretion comes into the issuing of medical cards.

I recently had a discussion with a co-worker regarding this and she agreed that though she has a medical card she feels the system is wrong.

We work in a community centre and while I am employed by the centre itself in a full time position my co-worker is employed under a Community Services Programme CSP and has been for the past 8 years.
She is not married but is co habitating with her partner who also works in the CSP programme.
She has one child, and neither of the three of them have any ongoing medical condition and they are in a rented local authority house, her partner has a van from work so they do not have expenses in relation to travel /work etc.
Before I go on these are the facts as given to me by my co-worker.

My co-worker and I are on the same salary and my take home pay is €666.04 per week, I am married , my husband is unemployed and as he was self employed he does not receive any benefit, our mortgage is 290.00 per week , we have a car which i use to travel to work each day. I do have a drugs payment card for an ongoing condition (not serious) and I am grateful for this, however after a recent bout of illness and paying €50 per doctor visit and the first €100 for medicines, we found it difficult for a few weeks.

To get to my point my co- workers take home pay is more than mine as she does not pay the levy because she has a medical card because she is under the CSP programme, now I cannot see how this is fair ? How can the health board justify giving a household with a take home pay of approx €1200.00 per week (this would be my co-worker and her partners take home pay and they pay €97.00 rent per week)
My co-worker showed me the paperwork that shows that when you move from unemployment to CSP that you retain your secondary benefits , but she and all others on this programme have retained them for the past 10 years.

Any comments would be appreciated.

missis

This is outrageous!!! The system seems so unfair.I am just about to apply for a medical card or gp visit card and finding the guidelines so hard to follow. My 2year old has been sick all week and we literally haven't had the money to bring him to the doctor. This is a constant problem, a visit to the doctor means no food shopping that week, putting off a visit to the doctor because you can't afford it is unacceptable. I am married with two small children. My husband earns €635 before tax etc. I am self employed but earn nothing, (i'm not entitled to the dole so I'm no worse off working for myself for nothing at least I have a chance of providing myself with an income in the future) . We do not get any benefits, social welfare etc. We pay rent of €128 per week and €64 childcare expenses per week, along with the rest, house/life insurance, esb bla bla bla. I just cannot work out if we will be intitled to either card. People who recieve benefit seem to be entitled to much more help, where as if you make a genuine effort to support yourself you're given no help at all. :mad:

The_Conductor

Seriously advise you contact your local Community Welfare Officer. From the limited information you've given above, it appears you may possibly qualify for the family income supplement payment. The State Benefits forum here may be in a position to offer further advice.

Regards,

SMcCarrick

missis

Thanks for that I'll look into it, although I'm guessing because I'm "self employed" despite my no wage situation we won't be eligible. Thanks for link

nofi

More Medical Card stories.
(1) People living in the northeast and in north Dublin are much less likely to be granted discretionary medical cards than individuals living in other parts of
the state, it has emerged. Full story; http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/health/2009/1117/1224258977793.html
(2)Over 1,400 people in Co.Meath who previously had a full medical cards were refused a renewal when they applied in the first five months of this year
Full story; http://www.meathchronicle.ie/news/roundup/articles/2009/09/23/391436-1800-lose-medical-cards-this-year/
(3)Under European Union (EU) Regulations pensioners living in Ireland who are receiving a social security pension from another EU state are granted a
Medical Card, provided they are not employed or self-employed here, and are not receiving an Irish social security pension.Students from EU member
States in .possession of the European Health Insurance Card are entitled to a Medical Card while studying in Ireland.In theory you could be a millionaire
pensioner or student living here and if you are non-irish EU citizen you are still entitled to a Medical Card.( to be fair,probably works in reverse for
Irish people living in another EU country)

LegacyUser

smccarrick wrote: »

Don't push for 'rules and regulations'. There is a small degree of discretion normally- if you go hammering down the door looking for 'rules and regulations'- any degree of discretion they might be inclined to exercise will go out the window- and they will do absolutely everything by the letter of the law.

Disagree rules and regulations are necessary if you are unhappy and want to complain to Ombudsman. Will this be censored like other of my posts cos they disagreed with certain people