New Irish resident - healthcare?

brynne

I'm not entirely sure that this is the right place to ask a really basic question about the Irish healthcare system, but here goes.

My husband and I have been 'ordinarily resident' in France since 2007. Before that we lived in the UK. However, my husband's family are from Clare and we have recently built a house there with the intention of switching our residency. Joining the French health system was an administrative nightmare and we now pay a handsome amount each quarter for the privilege of having most of our healthcare costs refunded. Once we switch our residency, we will, of course, no longer be accepted in the French system.

I've found a certain amount of information about entitlement to healthcare services on the Citizens' Information website. It tells me what documents are required to establish residency, but it doesn't tell me how to register with the HSE. We won't qualify for a Medical Card, so I'm not sure what I need to do, other than register with a local GP? Do we have to pay a fee or something?

Could someone tell me what's what, as the one thing we can't risk at our age, is to find we've slipped between the cracks in the pavement and are suddenly no longer entitled to health services either in France or in Ireland!

palmcut

Firstly apply for a DPS card. The application form is available from either the local HSE offfice or from your local pharmacy. Having a DPS card means that the most your family will pay for medicines in a calendar month is 144 euros. You need to have a PPS number to get a DPS card.

The general advice is also to have Health Insurance. (available from a number of different companies)

Register with a GP practice.

If you have one of 16 specified illness's then apply for an LTI book. The medicines for these 16 are free. (application needs to be signed by a GP)

If your income is lowish but not low enough for a medical card, then you may qualify for a DV card. (Doctor Visit). Having a DV card means you do not have to pay the GP.

locum-motion

My learned colleague Palmcut forgot to mention one thing: visitors from France should obtain an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) or whatever it's called in French from the French Health authorities before they come. The EHIC entitles a visitor from one EU country to be treated in the same manner as locals in the country they are visiting. Effectively, it functions as a Medical Card in Ireland, in that you don't have to pay the doctor, and you only have to pay the pharmacy €2.50 per item on a prescription. Even though it is not valid for foreigners living in Ireland, it is valid for the first three months when someone is coming to live here. This is specifically so that you don't "fall between the cracks", as you put it.

brynne

Thanks, palmcut and locum-motion. That's reassuring to know. For some reason it hadn't occurred to me that I could get an EHIC (Carte Européenne d’Assurance Maladie) via the French health system, but it's an obvious (temporary) solution. They're valid a year, so that should do us until we get ourselves together and join the Irish system. I'll pop into our local CPAM office tomorrow and see what gives.

locum-motion

brynne wrote: »

... They're valid a year...

The card may be valid for a year, but that doesn't mean you can use it in Ireland for a year.

As I said before, it's valid for visitors, or for those in the first three months of residing in a new country.

AndrewJD

locum-motion wrote: »

The card may be valid for a year, but that doesn't mean you can use it in Ireland for a year.

As I said before, it's valid for visitors, or for those in the first three months of residing in a new country.

Just out of interest, how is that verified? How would anyone know how long a card holder would have been in Ireland?

echo beach

AndrewJD wrote: »

Just out of interest, how is that verified? How would anyone know how long a card holder would have been in Ireland?

They can't know how long you've been in the country but they will know the first day you use the card here. If you go to a GP on 1st March there will be a claim for that date and come 1st June they will know that you have exceeded your 'visitor' status and you will be deemed to be a resident.