Keeping my medical card after getting a job?

rustyzip

I'm quite confused.
I got a medical card in April 2011, my card says (and when I check it online) same thing valid to April 2014.

I got a full time job in January 2013 and was told that I should be bake to keep the card for three years.

I'm panicking as I'm paying off all the debt I accrued over period of unemployment and I'm on medication.

Does anyone know what I'm entitled to?

danjo-xx

Yes you can keep your medical card for 3yrs when you return to work.
But in 2014 you will keep a GP only card for 3yrs

If you are unemployed and you are returning to full-time or part-time work, you can keep your medical card for 3 years provided you have been getting one of the following allowances or benefits for 12 months or more:

• Jobseeker's Benefit
• Jobseeker's Allowance
• One-Parent Family Payment
• Illness Benefit
• Invalidity Pension
• Disability Allowance
• Blind Pension or
• Have been on an employment incentive scheme or educational opportunity scheme

If you take up full-time employment you will retain your medical card for 3 years from the date you start work. If you take up part-time employment the 3-year period starts from the date your income exceeds the relevant medical card guideline. A qualified adult who takes up employment will not retain the medical card unless they have been getting one of the above qualifying payments in their own right. There are further details about the retention of medical cards in the Health Service Executive's Medical Card/GP Visit National Assessment Guidelines (pdf)

.
Budget 2014: It was announced that unemployed people will retain a GP Visit Card (currently a medical card) for 3 years when they take up work. This measure requires legislation and will be introduced in 2014.

rustyzip

Thanks a mill for that.
I feel really blessed so. Looks like I can keep it for another two years.

So, if I only got my job this January I would only have a GP card.

Thanks

rustyzip

I'm in an awful way about this medical card..
I was sent a letter earlier in the year to renew the medical card and had to send lots of letters from social welfare and revenue and payslips etc...

I logged on yesterday and it said application cancelled as I didn't send the right documents!
So I rang up and the lady I spoke to said, somewhere along the line it looks like someone told me wrong info and I should have been applying for the retention of a card..

Now she said I have to apply for a brand new card, go through the whole rigamoroll with GP and letters and statements etc...

I don't know if I should even bother, seeing as it will expire end December

Danielle D

rustyzip wrote:

I don't know if I should even bother, seeing as it will expire end December

Why would it expire in December? If you are still below the earnings threshold it should be renewed for another two or three years I would think.
I know what you mean about them and paperwork though. Our full medical card expired in May 2014, we sent everything in and they calculated our monthly earnings as fortnightly so refused us. I appealed & for months was calling for follow up then in Nov they tell me they destroyed our file as our appeal was overlooked. Had to reapply again! Nightmare but still worth it when you consider the GP visit is most expensive part of being sick.

rustyzip

Danielle D wrote: »

Why would it expire in December? If you are still below the earnings threshold it should be renewed for another two or three years I would think.
I know what you mean about them and paperwork though. Our full medical card expired in May 2014, we sent everything in and they calculated our monthly earnings as fortnightly so refused us. I appealed & for months was calling for follow up then in Nov they tell me they destroyed our file as our appeal was overlooked. Had to reapply again! Nightmare but still worth it when you consider the GP visit is most expensive part of being sick.

I started my job Jan '13 do it expires end December this year, it means I was allowed keep it for three years.

Danielle D

rustyzip wrote:

I started my job Jan '13 do it expires end December this year, it means I was allowed keep it for three years.

But I thought that once you were still below the threshold you still qualify regardless of how many years you've had a card or job. Is it not there as an additional aid to people on low incomes? Again I could be wrong but that's my interpretation of it.

SCOOP 64

Danielle D wrote: »

But I thought that once you were still below the threshold you still qualify regardless of how many years you've had a card or job. Is it not there as an additional aid to people on low incomes? Again I could be wrong but that's my interpretation of it.

Your right, if your on low income you may still keep the medical card,
but i think keeping the medical for 3yrs after long term unemployment no longer applies.

mmc272

Danielle D wrote: »

Why would it expire in December? If you are still below the earnings threshold it should be renewed for another two or three years I would think.
I know what you mean about them and paperwork though. Our full medical card expired in May 2014, we sent everything in and they calculated our monthly earnings as fortnightly so refused us. I appealed & for months was calling for follow up then in Nov they tell me they destroyed our file as our appeal was overlooked. Had to reapply again! Nightmare but still worth it when you consider the GP visit is most expensive part of being sick.

I had the same nightmare as you. I returned to work in July of last year. My Card expired in February this year. Sent the application in, in January. Saying I was applying under the retention scheme. I only got it through 3 weeks ago!! Had to get the social welfare office to issue me letters 3 different times and then I had to appeal it. Was a disaster. Their systems or their application forms are not set up for applying under these schemes

bonyn

Hi. As far as I'm aware you can retain your medical card.
The medical savings are good, as is paying the lower rate of USC.
You should not apply online. You need to get a letter from social welfare showing you were claiming welfare for however long, possibly a letter from your employer showing your start date,and apply using the manual process.
You're best phoning them up to find out their requirements.

rustyzip

mmc272 wrote: »

I had the same nightmare as you. I returned to work in July of last year. My Card expired in February this year. Sent the application in, in January. Saying I was applying under the retention scheme. I only got it through 3 weeks ago!! Had to get the social welfare office to issue me letters 3 different times and then I had to appeal it. Was a disaster. Their systems or their application forms are not set up for applying under these schemes

It's a nightmare.
I just got a pay rise last month, I wonder will that have any impact on the application?!

I can't afford medical insurance until next year, so it would be great to have the card until Jan 2016.