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Getting medical card due to working in NI, would I qualify then for lots of stuff?

  • 16-07-2018 1:46pm
    #1
    NIMAN
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 34,694 ✭✭✭✭


    I have a query re: the medical card in Ireland.

    I work in NI, and have always been told that I am entitled to a medical card in Ireland as I pay my taxes in the North to use NHS/GP services etc.

    This I do believe is true, although I never followed up on it.

    However, I got to thinking about those benefits medical card holders get in Ireland. Would I be able to avail of these despite what my income is in NI?


Comments

  • #2
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    The medical card is means tested so if you have a full time job its very unlikely you will get one http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/medical_cards_and_gp_visit_cards/medical_card_means_test_under_70s.html .


  • #3
    splinter65
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,420 ✭✭✭splinter65


    my3cents wrote: »
    The medical card is means tested so if you have a full time job its very unlikely you will get one http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/medical_cards_and_gp_visit_cards/medical_card_means_test_under_70s.html .
    People who live in Ireland who have all their income from another EU state (UK) are entitled to a medical card under EU rules.


  • #4
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    splinter65 wrote: »
    People who live in Ireland who have all their income from another EU state (UK) are entitled to a medical card under EU rules.

    So how is means calculated?


  • #5
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,316 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    splinter65 wrote: »
    People who live in Ireland who have all their income from another EU state (UK) are entitled to a medical card under EU rules.

    Without income limits? Surely that can't be right?


  • #6
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    spurious wrote: »
    Without income limits? Surely that can't be right?

    I think I can see how it works now. If you pay UK taxes you get UK benefits and someone with those benefits shouldn't loose them if they are in another country. A medical card is issued to allow the UK tax payer to get the same benefits here.


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  • #7
    NIMAN
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 34,694 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    Yeah all correct, but myself and the OH both work and would likely not qualify for any benefits, but if I am a medical card holder, how are checks done if I present it?

    Say for example, a free eye test. If I have the card, show it, would it come back on me that I could have afforded that test?


  • #8
    Curlysue76
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,753 ✭✭✭Curlysue76


    NIMAN wrote: »
    Yeah all correct, but myself and the OH both work and would likely not qualify for any benefits, but if I am a medical card holder, how are checks done if I present it?

    Say for example, a free eye test. If I have the card, show it, would it come back on me that I could have afforded that test?

    For eye test you fill out a form, with medical card number. Don’t have to put in income details. Send form off to hse office and you’ll get it back when they fill in their part. Then you bring form to opticians for test. That’s with Specsavers anyway, but I’d say it’s same everywhere.

    2 of my sisters work for NHS but live in the south. They both get medical cards for themselves but not their families.


  • #9
    NIMAN
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 34,694 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    Curlysue76 wrote: »
    For eye test you fill out a form, with medical card number. Don’t have to put in income details. Send form off to hse office and you’ll get it back when they fill in their part. Then you bring form to opticians for test. That’s with Specsavers anyway, but I’d say it’s same everywhere.

    2 of my sisters work for NHS but live in the south. They both get medical cards for themselves but not their families.

    Yeah I would appreciate that the medical card would only be for myself and not my kids, but what about the likes of courses or summer camps for the kids, they often give places free or heavily subsidised for medical card holders, so would I qualify for these?

    I hold a medical card and they are my kids. I guess by the rules I would get the reduction. Whether its fair or not is another question.


  • #10
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    NIMAN wrote: »
    Yeah all correct, but myself and the OH both work and would likely not qualify for any benefits, but if I am a medical card holder, how are checks done if I present it?

    Say for example, a free eye test. If I have the card, show it, would it come back on me that I could have afforded that test?

    There are no checks once you have a medical card. You get exactly the same benefits as anyone else who has one.

    In some instances you keep your medical card when you return to work and it makes no difference to how the medical card works for you.


  • #11
    Fann Linn
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,872 ✭✭✭Fann Linn


    NIMAN wrote: »
    I have a query re: the medical card in Ireland.

    I work in NI, and have always been told that I am entitled to a medical card in Ireland as I pay my taxes in the North to use NHS/GP services etc.

    This I do believe is true, although I never followed up on it.

    However, I got to thinking about those benefits medical card holders get in Ireland. Would I be able to avail of these despite what my income is in NI?


    You'll get your medical card under the frontier workers system. I worked on UK ships and paid tax and NI etc into the UK but myself and my family lived here in the south. Under this system we received our medical cards. Furthermore there was no income limits as I worked alongside chief engineers and chief electricians who were on excellent money and yet they received medical cards also.

    https://www.hse.ie/eng/cards-schemes/medical-card/people-who-lived-in-other-countries/


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  • #12
    splinter65
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,420 ✭✭✭splinter65


    my3cents wrote: »
    So how is means calculated?

    There is no means test. Once you provide evidence of your UK income (or whatever EU country/countries) and declare that you’ve now income from Ireland then you’ll get the medical card.

    Entitlement under EU Regulations
    If you are getting a social security pension from another country in the EU, the EEA (European Economic Area) or Switzerland, or if you are working and paying social insurance in one of these countries, you may qualify for a medical card under EU rules if you are ordinarily resident in Ireland.

    You must not be subject to Irish social security legislation. This means that you must not be in receipt of a contributory Irish social welfare payment or be working in Ireland and be liable to pay PRSI.

    If you are living in Ireland and you are the dependant of a pensioner entitled under EU Regulations, or are the dependant of a person who is working in another country covered by the Regulations, you may be eligible for a medical card. You must not be subject to Irish social security legislation (in the case of child dependants this rule applies to the spouse or person looking after them).

    Posted workers and their dependants may qualify for the medical card. These are workers who are employed in another country covered by the Regulations but are sent by their employers to work in Ireland for a limited time.

    See the assessment guidelines (pdf) for more information about entitlement under EU Regulations.

    To apply, you submit the medical card application form and include the relevant E or S form. The E or S form is issued in your country and confirms that you are part of a health insurance scheme in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland. If your country confirms that you are entitled to healthcare here you do not need to complete a financial assessment.


  • #13
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    Might be worth timing getting your medical card just before britexit? If they are outside the EU does anyone know if the system will continue?


  • #14
    gustafo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,759 ✭✭✭gustafo


    NIMAN wrote: »
    I have a query re: the medical card in Ireland.

    I work in NI, and have always been told that I am entitled to a medical card in Ireland as I pay my taxes in the North to use NHS/GP services etc.

    This I do believe is true, although I never followed up on it.

    However, I got to thinking about those benefits medical card holders get in Ireland. Would I be able to avail of these despite what my income is in NI?

    you will be entitles to a medical card as a frontier worker.

    you will also be liable to pay irish tax because you are a resident of ireland not the uk even though you already pay uk tax an ni


  • #15
    Fann Linn
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,872 ✭✭✭Fann Linn


    gustafo wrote: »
    you will be entitles to a medical card as a frontier worker.

    you will also be liable to pay irish tax because you are a resident of ireland not the uk even though you already pay uk tax an ni

    True. However with tax credits, reliefd etc you'll probably end up paying nothing to the Republic. Just fill out the self declaration and you'll be grand.

    Just chatting to the Mrs. today about the perks of the medical card and she reminded me that along with all the medical benefits etc we also didn't have to pay the Inter cert or leaving cert exam fees for the kids. We just got a form from the school and filled in the medical card number on it.


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