The HSE says if savings can't be made from a review of the medical card scheme then other areas within the health sector may have to be targeted.

An information campaign was launched yesterday by the Health Service Executive in a bid to clear up confusion over who stands to loose their card.

The campaign comes after several high profile cases of people with serious medical conditions losing discretionary medical cards.

The national director for primary care for the HSE has again re-iterated that those who have a genuine medical need will not loose their card even if they are marginally over the income threshold.

Estimates suggest 110,000 medical cards would be cut to make up savings of €148 million.

The Health Service Executive says some savings will be achieved through reviewing medical card holders and identifying those who are no longer in the country or no longer need them. But, in a review last year of over 428,000 medical card holders - just 1% were found to be dead.

 

John Hennessey, National Director for Primary Care with the HSE, told Newstalk's Breakfast "If we don't achieve that saving (€148 million) in relation to probity and medical cards, we simply have to go elsewhere and look elsewhere for it, but it won't be at the expense of people who are entitled to medical cards": 

In relation to medical cards for under 5s, Mr Hennessey said his department must wait for legislation before implementing.

Visit the HSE's website for information about medical cards and who is entitled to have one.