A panel of experts set up by the HSE has concluded it is not feasible to produce a comprehensive list of illnesses that would be considered when deciding eligibility for a medical card.
A 70 page unpublished report – reported by RTÉ – shows that the panel of 23 experts, set up following controversy over the withdrawing of discretionary medical cards, adjudged such a list would be impractical due to the vast range of illnesses and the degrees of severity then within each of those illnesses.
The panel found that the current system works, although has imperfections. Recommendations were made to right these issues and the panel recommended that that any reform to the medical card system should be as part of free GP care for all.
The report also found that the rules regarding the awarding of discretionary medical cards are inefficient and are not applied uniformly across Ireland.
The current system decides on eligibility for medical cards based on income.
The panel was set up in May in the wake of an ongoing controversy over the removal of discretionary medical cards. The removal of the cards proved to be hugely damaging for the government and was a major talking point in the run up to suffered the local and European elections.
