dr visit card over 70

Medical Cards / GP visit cards

Everyone aged 70 or over who applies for a medical card is subject to a means test. Read the National Assessment Guidelines

Since 5th August 2015 everyone aged 70 or over, ordinarily resident in Ireland, is eligible for free GP care regardless of income. All people aged 70 or over who do not have a Medical Card or GP Visit card can register to access this service. Register online by clicking    HERE or download the registration form .

Read more about GP Visit Card Over 70s

Since 11 September 2023, certain people under 70 who qualify are eligible for a GP Visit Card. For information on this category, visit the Citizens Information web page on the topic:  HERE

Medical Card Applications for everyone in this age group are now processed centrally at Client Registration Service, Finglas, Dublin 11.

Information is available on the HSE website and from the Client Registration office on Call Save 1890 252 919 or you can read more from the options below:

• Am I eligible
• Apply for over 70’s Medical Card
• Questions and Answers
• Contact HSE

Over 70s Medical Card GP Visit Card Application Form Jan 2015

Over 70 national assessment guidelines june 2016, your guide to medical cards.

A Medical Card is a plastic card, about the size of a credit card, issued by the HSE. People who hold a Medical Card are entitled to a range of Health Services free of charge.

What Health Services are available Free of Charge if I have a Medical Card?

• You are entitled to the following services if you have a Medical Card:
• Doctor Visits – a range of family doctor or GP services from a chosen doctor contracted to the HSE in your local area;
• Prescription Medicines: The supply of prescribed approved medicines, aids and appliances like wheelchairs, crutches etc. In some circumstances a deposit may be required for aids and appliances which will be refunded on return of the aid or appliance. A €2.50 charge applies to all prescription medicines dispensed to medical card patients;
• Certain Dental, Ophthalmic (Eye), and Aural (Ear) health services;
• Hospital Care – all in-patient services in public wards in public hospitals, including public consultant services;
• Hospital Visits – All out-patient services in public hospitals, including public consultant services;
• Medical & Midwifery Care for Mothers, including health care related to pregnancy and the care of the child for six weeks after birth;
• Some personal and social care services, for example, public health nursing, social work services and other community care services based on client need.

Your Guide to Medical Cards and GP Visit Cards

This means that you will not be subject to financial assessment but will still need to complete an application form.

EU Eligibility

Where a person is EU-insured with a different country, and resident in Ireland, they can apply for a Medical Card. An application form must be completed, and returned with the appropriate E or S form from the competent institution of the state in which they are insured, or submit proof of their current state pension payment from the Department of Work and Pensions, UK. They may be entitled to a Medical Card provided they are not subject to Irish social welfare security legislation. A person is considered subject to Irish social security legislation if s/he is in receipt of a contributory Irish social welfare payment or engaged in work in Ireland and subject to PRSI. The submission of the Medical Card application assists the National Medical Card Unit confirm eligibility under these regulations.

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Medical cards

What is a medical card, how to qualify for a medical card, do you qualify without a means test, how to apply for a medical card, medical cards for children and young people, appeals, reviews and managing your medical card, more information.

If you have a medical card, you can get certain health services free of charge. Usually, your dependent spouse or partner and your children can also get the same range of health services for free.

Your medical card is issued by the Health Service Executive (HSE) .

Who can apply for a medical card?

If you are ‘ ordinarily resident ’ in Ireland you can apply for a medical card. This means that you are living in Ireland and intend to live here for at least one year.

To qualify for a medical card, your weekly income must be below a certain figure for your family size. Cash income, savings, investments and property (except for your own home) are taken into account in the means test (see ‘How to qualify for a medical card’ below).

GP visit cards: If you do not qualify for a medical card on income grounds, you may qualify for a GP visit card .

Medical cards for people coming from other countries

If you are coming to Ireland from Ukraine under the Temporary Protection Directive, you may be entitled to a medical card immediately. There is a special medical card application form (pdf) for people from Ukraine . Read information from the HSE in Ukrainian and Russian .

If you are coming from a country in the European Union, United Kingdom or another non-EU country you can check if you can get a medical card and your entitlement to public health services in Ireland.

What services does the medical card cover?

You are entitled to many health services, other services and some prescription medicines with a medical card. You can check what is covered on our page Services for medical card and GP visit card holders .

To qualify for a medical card, your weekly income must be under a certain amount. The HSE will complete a means test to check your income. Some people can qualify automatically without a means test, see ‘Qualifying without a means test’ below.

There are different guidelines for the means test depending on whether you are aged over or under 70. See:

• Means test rules for people under 70 years of age
• Means test rules for people over 70 years of age

The HSE assessment of a couple for medical cards is based on the age of the older person.

Discretionary medical card

If your income is above the limit, you may still be able to get a medical card if your circumstances would result in financial hardship without one. This is sometimes called a discretionary medical card .

The application process for the discretionary medical card is the same as for the means tested medical card, but you should also include information about your family’s medical expenses in your application.

If you have any questions before you send your application, you can phone 01 864 7100 or Lo-call 0818 22 44 78, contact your Local Health Office, or email [email protected] .

Apply online for a medical card

You can apply online for a medical card and GP visit card on mymedicalcard.ie . This is the quickest method of getting the card.

Apply by post for a medical card

Or you can download a medical card and GP visit card application form:

• MC1 Medical Card and GP Visit Card Application Form (pdf)
• MC1(a) Medical Card and GP Visit Card Application Form - People Aged 70 Years or Older (pdf) if you are aged over 70

You can also get the application form and a list of participating GPs from your local health centre or Local Health Office for your area.

You return the form to the Client Registration Unit (address below), along with any documents required . If you are applying online, you can upload photos, scans or photocopies of the original documents specified on the form.

You can track the progress of your medical card application on the HSE website .

Selecting a doctor

The HSE have a list of doctors that accept medical card patients (pdf ).

If you apply online, the HSE will contact the doctor you select and ask them to accept you as a medical card patient.

If you apply using the printed application form, you can call the GP that you have chosen from the list of participating doctors (pdf) . Usually, the GP you select must be within 7 miles of where you live. If the GP agrees to accept you as a patient for medical card GP services , you can send them the form to sign.

If you use the printed application form and you have been a medical card patient within the last 6 months and you want to keep the same GP, you should state this on your form.

If your preferred participating GP cannot accept you as a medical card patient, they may not be currently accepting new patients and you should try another participating GP in your area (pdf) .

If you are refused by 3 GPs, the HSE will assign a doctor to you. State this on your application, including the 3 names of declining GPs and their clinics. The GPs need to be based at three different clinics.

If you have a medical card, your child is included as a dependent on that card and can get the same medical card services as you. If you do not qualify for a medical card, your child may still get a medical card if they:

• Are in residential care
• Living in Direct Provision
• Have been diagnosed with cancer within the last 5 years
• Are in foster care

Adding an infant to your card

If you have a medical card and you have a baby, you can apply for a card for them if you are getting Child Benefit for your new baby.

To apply, send a cover note with:

• Your name, address,
• Your phone number,
• Your PPS number and your child's PPS number
• Your medical card details
• A photocopy of the child's birth certificate

Send your letter to the Medical Card Unit, see below for the address.

Medical cards for people aged 16 to 25, including students

If you are aged 16 to 25 and dependent on a parent or guardian, you are eligible for a medical card if your parent or guardian has a medical card.

If you are already included on your family's card , you will be sent your own card when you turn 16.

If you are not already included on your family’s card you must send in your own medical card application form (pdf) and your parents or guardians need to apply for you too. Send both applications together.

This does not apply if their income is above the means test limit and they have a discretionary medical card.

Applying for a medical card when aged 16 to 25

If you live with your parent or guardian and you have an income over the medical card income limit for a single person living with family , you are considered financially independent, and the usual means test applies. you must complete your own medical card application form (pdf) .

If you are not living with or dependent on a parent or guardian, then you are considered as financially independent, regardless of income. You must complete your own medical card application form (pdf) and your application is assessed using the means test for people aged under 70 .

Domiciliary Care Allowance

If you have a child for whom you are getting Domiciliary Care Allowance , the child is eligible for a medical card, without a means test.

If the child does not have a medical card or GP visit card, you can register the child for a medical card online or download a registration form (pdf) .

If the child already has a medical card or GP visit card, you do not need to register; they will be automatically registered for a medical card.

Children diagnosed with cancer

Children under the age of 18 who have been diagnosed with cancer within the last 5 years are eligible for a medical card without a means test. The application form does not require information about income but does require a medical report. You can download the Medical Card Application Form for Children under 18 years, Form MC1 (b) (pdf).

GP visit card for children under 8

If your child does not qualify for a medical card and is under 8, they can get a GP visit card for children under 8 without a means test. If your child is over 8 years, the GP visit card is means tested.

Read more about health and medical services for children

If your circumstances change, you must tell the HSE as you may no longer be eligible for a medical card. For example, if your income or family circumstances change, you must inform the Medical card Unit as soon as possible — you can find their contact details at the end of this webpage.

Your medical card is valid for a set period of time and has a ‘valid to’ date on it. Your card will be reviewed by the HSE periodically. The HSE will write to you at the address you applied with to check if you still qualify for a medical card.

Medical card reviews

You may be sent a letter with a PIN code from the HSE, inviting you to use the online medical card application system online medical card application system to review your medical card.

If you do not provide the information they ask for, your application cannot be re-assessed and your card may not be re-issued.

If you need a paper form, rather than the online review form, complete and return MC1 Medical Card and GP Visit Card Application Form (pdf) . If you are aged over 70, the review notice you get will include a form that you can use instead of the online review form.

If you complete the review form by the given date but the review process continues past the expiry date of your card, the card’s validity may be extended so that you can continue to use it while the review is taking place. The extension is on a month-by-month basis so you should contact the Client Registration Unit to confirm that your card has been extended and continues to be valid.

Your medical card when you re turn to work

If you are getting a social welfare payment for a year or more and return to work , you may be able to keep your medical card for up to 3 years. You will need to submit a new medical card application stating that you are applying on this basis. Your dependent family members may qualify to keep their card, even if they become employed during this 3 year period.

People taking part in certain government schemes may keep their medical cards while they are on the scheme. See the assessment guidelines (pdf) for the list of schemes.

Your medical card if you move house

You can use your medical card for up to 3 months if you are living temporarily in a different area. In this case, you can attend any GP in the area participating in the medical card scheme.

If you are going to be away longer than 3 months, you do not have to re-apply for a new Medical Card. However, you must tell the HSE that your address has changed and you will need to change your GP if you have moved area.

Contact your new Local Health Office or check the list of participating doctors working in your new area.

Changing your address

If your address has changed, you must give the HSE your new address. You can phone Lo-call 0818 22 44 78 or 01 864 7100 or email [email protected] . You will need to provide:

• Proof of address such as a utility bill dated within the last 3 months
• Name and PPS number for everyone on the card
• Name and PPS number of dependants with their own cards living with you

Changing your GP

If you are changing your GP, you complete a Change of Doctor Form (pdf) , giving details of the new doctor. The form is available online or by phoning Lo-call 0818 22 44 78.

Appealing if you are refused a medical card

If you have been refused a medical card and are not satisfied with the decision, you may have it reviewed. Your circumstances may have changed or you may have left out some relevant information from the original application. The contact details will also be contained in your letter of refusal.

The Appeals Office will conduct a reassessment of your application. This will be conducted by HSE staff who were not involved in deciding on your original application. You can read about appealing a medical card decision on the HSE website .

Read about what services you can get with a medical card .

If you are aged under 70 check if you can apply under the means test for a medical card or GP visit card for under 70s.

If you are aged over 70 check if you are eligible under the means test for people aged over 70 .

Read about prescription charges for medical card holders .

You can read more information about GP visit cards and the GP visit card for children aged under 8

You can find more information on the medical card and GP visit card on the HSE website. You can find further detail in the HSE Assessment Guidelines for medical cards and GP visit cards .

National Medical Card Unit,

(Postal applications) P.O Box 11745 Finglas Dublin 11 D11 XKF3

Related documents

• Services for medical card and GP visit card holders Family doctors (GPs) provide certain services to medical card and GP visit card holders free of charge. 2078.3357
• Emergency medical cards In certain emergency situations, a healthcare professional can apply for you to get a medical card known as an emergency medical card. 2002.1359
• Over 70s means test for medical cards How your income is assessed for the medical card income limits if you are over 70 years of age. 1812.7212

If you have a question about this topic you can contact the Citizens Information Phone Service on 0818 07 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm).

You can also contact your local Citizens Information Centre .

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• Your PPS number. What's a PPS Number?
• The PPS Number of your spouse or partner (if applicable). Please note only persons aged 70 years or older are eligible to register under this scheme.
• Your email address or the email address of the nominated contact, this will allow us to contact you or the nominated contact directly on the progress of your registration.

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GP visit cards

With a GP visit card you don't have to pay to see your GP. Find out about the types of GP visit cards and how to apply

• GP visit cards - types you can apply for
• Lost or stolen medical card or GP visit card
• Contact GP visit card service
• GPs who accept medical cards or GP visit cards

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Medical Card/ GP Visit Card – Over 70 Application Form (MC1(a))

Administered by the HSE, those over 70 can apply for a medical card or a GP visit card, depending on their circumstances.  

This medical card is available to anyone aged 70 or over who has a gross income of not more than €500 a week for a single person or not more than €900 per week for a couple.  

While to qualify for this GP visit card, you must be aged 70 or over and have an income of over €500 per week.  

The application form for the Over 70 Medical Card/ GP Visit Card can be downloaded here, with details included on how you can submit your application to the HSE.  

Medical Card/ GP Visit Card – Over 70 Application Form (MC1(a)). This application is processed by the HSE.

GPs' over-70s fee twice that requested by HSE

The health service executive (hse) wanted the new single capitation rate for general practitioners treating medical card patients….

THE HEALTH Service Executive (HSE) wanted the new single capitation rate for general practitioners treating medical card patients over the age of 70 to be set at €158 – nearly half the level subsequently agreed by the Government.

In its submission to the independent fee-setting process, the HSE argued that such a fee rate would generate savings of €68 million.

Following the independent analysis GPs have, since the beginning of the year, been paid a fee of €308 for treating medical card patients over the age of 70. This includes a recent increase under the national pay deal.

The Irish Times revealed last week that the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), which represents GPs, had sought a new single capitation rate of €369 per patient.

The introduction of a new single capitation fee for GPs emerged following the controversy surrounding the Government’s decision in the Budget in October to scrap the automatic entitlement to a medical card for everyone over 70 which had been introduced in 2001.

The new single payment replaces what was effectively two sets of fees paid to doctors for treating patients over 70 with medical cards: an average of €161 paid in respect of those who qualified for the medical card on grounds of low means prior to the 2001 deal; and an average of €640 per annum paid to GPs for medical cards awarded on the grounds of age following the 2001 agreement.

In its submission, the health service contended that the Government’s new single rate for the overall cohort of medical card patients over 70 needed to be nearer to the previous average capitation for those who received their cards on “means” grounds rather than the average paid in respect of those who qualified on age grounds.

“There is no sustainable service argument for a single capitation rate that is significantly above the current average for ‘means’ cards. The need to decide on a rate that will be acceptable to the service providers, under the circumstances, is acknowledged.

“The new single capitation rate needs to return significant savings,” the health service maintained.

The HSE argued that if the former average capitation for “means” cards were to be universally applied to all over-70 medical card patients, the annual cost would be €51 million (323,000 cards at €158.56), generating an annual saving of some €68 million (€119 million less €51 million).

In its submission the HSE also said there were “undoubtedly further efficiencies to be gained from more focused and better structured prescribing in Ireland, both in terms of clinical leadership and frameworks and for greater generic use”.

It maintained that these efficiencies should be pursued.

However, it said it was clear that as a result of the agreement on costs with the pharmaceutical industry in 2006, the premium for proprietary drugs had largely been removed and that the price of these products was now much closer to that of generics.

The HSE said the scope for significant savings through generic prescribing was “more limited in the current market than might be expected”.

“Where there is significant scope for releasing benefit to the patient and the taxpayer is in pricing further along the supply chain.

“While Irish ex-factory prices are moving towards the EU average, retail and reimbursement prices [respectively, what patients and the HSE pay retail pharmacy] remain amongst the highest in Europe. This is a function of the 50 per cent mark-up that patients pay, on top of dispensing fees, and the cost of wholesale services to the customer, which at 17.66 per cent is over twice what the retail sector actually pays for distribution,” it said.

“This allows a very high level of bonusing and discounting between wholesale and retail that the customer pays for, in particular in the generic market, the benefit of which is not released to the HSE or to patients through better retail prices,” it said.

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Under 70s means test for medical card and GP visit card

Introduction, how does the means test work, income assessed, income not assessed, savings and investments assessment, is property assessed, how is self-employment income assessed, allowable expenses, more information.

If you are aged under 70 when you apply for a medical card or GP visit card , the HSE will review your situation and your weekly income to check if you qualify. This may include a review of your financial situation, called a means test.

Your income, savings, investments and property are assessed in the means test, but there are certain exceptions. If you have a spouse or partner, the HSE looks at your combined finances.

Check if you automatically qualify for a medical card, as some people are exempt from the means test . If you are not in one of these groups, your income is reviewed by the HSE and must be below a certain amount to qualify.

This page explains the means test for people aged under 70 – how it is carried out, what income is included and what income is excluded.

Medical cards if you are over 70

People aged over 70 have a different means test assessment for the medical card.

If you do not qualify under the means test for people over 70 you can be assessed under the general means test rules explained here.

GP visit cards

If you are under 70, the way the HSE assesses your financial means is the same for the medical card and for the GP visit card – but the income limits are different.

If your income is above the limit for a medical card, you are automatically assessed by the HSE for the GP visit card which has higher income limits.

You automatically get a GP visit card without a means test if you are either:

• Aged under 8 or over 70
• Get Carer’s Benefit or Carer’s Allowance at full or half-rate

When does the HSE review my finances?

When you apply online, the HSE does a quick review of your finances to check if you might qualify for a medical card or GP visit card . It does a full review of your finances later in the application process when you send them documents to prove your financial situation , for example, payslips.

The HSE has basic rates that vary depending on your age, living situation, marital status and if you have children. If your income is below the HSE basic rate, you will qualify.

The basic rate income limits for the medical card are lower than the limits for the GP visit card .

Your weekly income is your net income. This is your income after tax, PRSI and Universal Social Charge (USC) have been deducted.

If your income is above the HSE’s basic rate, you may still qualify for a medical card or GP visit card after you add extra allowances for children and allowable expenses (see below).

Discretionary medical card

If your finances are still above the qualifying limits for both a medical card and GP visit card the HSE can look at your social and medical situation. They will decide if you would have trouble paying for medical care for you and your family and may provide a medical card. You can read more about discretionary medical cards.

Weekly basic rates for under 70s

Weekly basic rates for under 70s (Gross income less tax, Universal Social Charge and PRSI)

The HSE reviews your weekly income from:

• Wages or earnings (net pay, after you pay tax, PRSI and USC)
• Maintenance payments
• Rental income from property other than the family home, with costs deducted
• Property (other than the family home)
• Interest from capital and savings
• Income from royalties or payments under a settlement, covenant or from an estate

If your only income is from social welfare or HSE payments, you will get a medical card even if your income is over the income limits for your age and situation.

Check the documents you may need.

Some payments from the State are not included:

• HSE payments : Mobility Allowance, Blind Welfare Allowance
• Social welfare payments : Working Family Payment, Child Benefit, Carer's Allowance, Domiciliary Care Allowance, Guardian's Payments; weekly supplements (such as a diet or heating supplement) paid under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme; Fuel, Island, Living Alone and Over 80 Allowances
• Other payments : Third-level educational maintenance grants, Rehabilitation Maintenance Allowance, Foster Care Allowance.

Earnings while on Disability Allowance

If you are getting Disability Allowance and working, income you earn up to €427 per week is not taken into account in the means test for the medical card. This does not affect the means test for Disability Allowance .

When reviewing your income for a medical card or GP visit card , the HSE does not include:

• Compensation payments made by the Residential Institutions Redress Board
• Repayments made under the Health (Repayment) Scheme (that is, the Nursing Home repayment scheme)
• Awards made to people who contracted Hepatitis C or HIV from contaminated blood products (together with income from the investment of that money)
• Ex-gratia payments approved by the Lourdes Hospital Redress Board under the terms of the Lourdes Hospital Redress Scheme 2007
• Compensation awards payable under the Redress for Women in Certain Institutions Act 2015.

Any savings and investments you have are also reviewed by the HSE in the means test for a medical card or GP visit card .

Savings, investments or property up to €36,000 for a single person, or €72,000 for a couple, are disregarded.

Interest on savings or investments over the limit is taken into account in the means test.

This means only the interest or income earned on your savings and investments will be counted as income, not the total value of the savings or investments themselves.

How does the HSE assess interest?

There are different ways the HSE can assess your savings and investments. They can use:

• A Certificate of Interest (usually from your bank) of all your savings, or
• Copies of bank statements showing the current balance on your account or account

If you have stocks or shares, you will need to provide a copy of your current Share Certificates showing shareholdings.

The HSE can also calculate your weekly income from savings and investments using the following rules:

For example, if you are a couple and have €90,000 in savings, any income on the first €72,000 will not be considered.  The income on the next €10,000 will be considered at €1 per €1,000 totalling €10. The balance of €8,000 will be considered at €2 per €1,000 totalling €16.

Check what documents you may need for the HSE to assess your income from savings and investments .

The value of your family home is not included in the medical card and GP visit card means test.

The value of weekly income from other property is reviewed by the HSE.

Check what documents you may need for your property to be assessed by the HSE.

Property that is rented

If you have property that you rent out, the rental income is assessed by the HSE. Rental income can include income from renting a room in your family home, a holiday home, leased land or any other property.

Rental income is assessed after deducting mortgage payments and insurance premiums.

Property that is not rented

If you are aged under 70 and have unused land or buildings that you are not renting, but could be leased or sold, the HSE reviews the value of the property as a savings and investment assessment (above).

If you are aged over 70 , income will not be assessed from any property that is not generating a rental income.

If you are self-employed and applying for a medical card or GP visit card , you will need to provide evidence of all your work, both self-employed and for other employers.

The HSE will review your most recent Income Tax Return Form 11 and all pages of your Notice of Assessment (NOA) from Revenue.

If you are self-employed and your business has been running for less than one year, you need to provide a set of accounts signed off by your accountant.

If you are self-employed and your business has recently stopped trading, you need to provide a self-declaration letter indicating the date you were last self-employed.

Read more about what documents you need for your application as somebody self-employed .

You can also get detailed information from the HSE Medical card and GP Visit Card National Assessment Guidelines (pdf) .

Some living expenses are allowable. This means the HSE will add the cost of certain weekly expenses to your basic rate.

This increases your weekly qualifying financial threshold.

Your qualifying financial threshold is the limit of how much income you can have each week and still qualify for a medical card or GP visit card .

Allowable expenses include:

• Rent (not including any amounts paid by Housing Assistance Payment or Rent Supplement )
• Reasonable mortgage payments on your family home and other land or property
• Mortgage protection insurance and associated life assurance
• Home insurance

Childcare and other caring costs

• Childcare costs
• Maintenance payments you make
• Nursing home, private nursing or home-care costs for you or your spouse

Travel costs

• The cost of public transport
• Driving expenses if a car is required, at a rate of 30 cent per mile/18 cent per km. If a couple needs two cars to travel to work, a double allowance applies.
• Reasonable contributions towards carpooling costs.

Check what documents you need for your expenses to be assessed by the HSE.

You can read more information about medical cards and GP visit cards , including how to apply. If you are over 70 check if you are eligible under the means test for people aged over 70 .

You can also read about the GP visit card for children aged under 8 and prescription charges for medical card holders .

You can find more information on the medical card and GP visit card on the HSE website. You can find further detail in the HSE Assessment Guidelines for medical cards and GP visit cards .

The HSE has information on financial assessment.

Related documents

• Services for medical card and GP visit card holders Family doctors (GPs) provide certain services to medical card and GP visit card holders free of charge. 3475.8306
• GP visit cards for children under 8 Children under 8 are entitled to free visits to participating GPs. Find out how to register for the GP visit card for children. 2928.011
• Examples of calculating eligibility for GP visit card for under 70s Case study showing how to calculate your income and allowable expenses for a GP visit card if you are aged under 70. 2810.2744

If you have a question about this topic you can contact the Citizens Information Phone Service on 0818 07 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm).

You can also contact your local Citizens Information Centre .

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