Medical Card

LegacyUser

Hi,

I applied for a medical in March 2010 in my local health office, I heard nothing until December when they requested more information, which I didn't think was applicable for me but sent them back anyway as requested.

I said enough is enough as I need to see the GP about something and went into them this week and they told me it'll be another 10-12 week wait as they're only processing September/October now.

I looked online and it says it only takes 15 days to process online applications. Went through the process and it told me there and then I was eligible for a medical card.

I was wondering can I apply online even though I've already applied in person? Will it mess up my application if I do? 13 months and counting is too long in my opinion.

Need to see the doctor quite soon and can't afford it at the moment.

Thanks

cedargurl

depending on where you live you have a specific health office that deals with medical card applications. they can give you a temporary letter with a temporary medical card number that you can use in the interim.

mrsbyrne

please ignore the post above as it is completely incorrect. the cwo cannot give you a medical card no. while your claim is being processed. you need to contact the medical card section of the hse offices of the area in which you live.
http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/Find_a_Service/LHO/
if you are awarded a medical card/gp visit card you will receive a letter with your medical card no. on it which you can use until the actual card itself arrives. if you need the doctor in the meantime and absolutely cannot afford it, you can go to your cwo to be meanstested for an exceptional needs payment.
please note that the cwos will not be administrating medical card applications after june of this year. all applications will go directly to the relevant hse office.

cedargurl

I was in the same situation as you and following numerous phonecalls/emails/letters, I eventually went into My Local Medical Card Section and spoke to the Medical Card Administrator(not my local health office nor did i apply to or speak to the CWO). Following our conversation, she issued me with a letter and advised me that this was a temporary number to be used until my my application could be processed. She also told me that the waiting times were massive and it was quite possible that my application form has been lost (at least she was honest). I subsequently used that letter to attend my GP/Dentist etc and was also able to have prescriptions filled with that number.
No where in my previous reply did I state that a CWO could do this.
It is possible that I was an exception but up until this morning and the last posters reply I thought this was the norm.
If you go onto the medical card website and lodge an inquiry through their online system you will get a call back and can then ask them where your local office is and go in and visit them.
I would never knowingly give false information and I was only trying to help as this situation had actually happened to me.

BandyMandy

I have also been waiting for almost a year to hear back from them. I just found out today that you can apply on-line, I have filled out the on-line from and it told me I was entitled to a Dr visit MC. I am on JSA and receive €188 PW, (I have no other income) Should I not be entitled to the full MC ?