GP Visit Cards

Information

Certain people in Ireland who do not qualify for a medical card may apply for a GP (family doctor) Visit Card. GP Visit Cards allow individuals and families who qualify, to visit their family doctor for free. An overview of GP (family doctor) services in Ireland is available here.

Unless you have either a medical card or a GP Visit Card, visits to family doctors are not free. In order to apply for a GP Visit Card, you must be ordinarily resident in Ireland. That is, you must be currently living in Ireland and intend to continue to live here for a year. You can read more about entitlement to public health services in Ireland here. You must also meet specific income guidelines in order to qualify for a Card.

In situations where for example, someone has an ongoing medical condition that requires exceptional and regular medical treatment or visits to the doctor, then the Health Service Executive (HSE) may grant a Card to that individual or family even where their income is greater than the guidelines. Usually the HSE will only consider these applications where an ongoing medical condition is causing or likely to cause undue financial hardship.

The GP Visit Card is a plastic card, about the same size as a credit card. It carries your full name/family name, your sex, the name of your GP and the validity period of the Card.

GP Visit Card Reviews

As each GP Visit Card is valid for an individual period, each application is reviewed over time. The main reason for setting review dates is because income levels may change, dependents grow up, or other change could reasonably happen over time that might affect eligibility. The review dates for GP Visit Cards are largely the same as those for medical cards.

Having a GP Visit Card only allows you to visit your GP for free. Any prescribed drugs associated with your GP visit are not free. Instead, you can apply to become part of the Drugs Payment Scheme. Any in-patient public hospital services and out-patient public hospital services associated with a medical condition are free but you will have to pay some hospital charges.

Rules

Eligibility for all GP Visit Cards is means tested. That is, your income is assessed by the HSE as part of the application process. To qualify for a GP Visit Card, the rules are largely the same as those for medical cards, except the income guidelines are 50% higher. Broadly speaking, you will qualify for a GP Visit Card if;

• the combined income of you and your partner (if any) is less than the income guidelines set out below that relate to you;
• the HSE decide that financial hardship would occur because of your medical costs or other exceptional circumstances even where your combined income is greater than the income guidelines below.

If your application for a GP Visit Card is refused, you will receive a letter from the HSE stating this. The letter will also set out the reasons why your application has been refused. You may appeal this decision by requesting your local health office review your application. When you seek a review, you should draw attention to any change in circumstances since you made your original application. In addition, it is useful to include any relevant issues, which may have been overlooked.

Alternatively, you may appeal to an Appeals Officer in the HSE. Contact information will be set out in your letter of refusal.

Rates

The weekly income limits (gross less tax and PRSI deductions) were last updated 26 June 2006. To qualify for a GP visit card your income should normally be below the following limits:

 

Income Guidelines for GP Visit Card

Category	Aged under 66	Aged 66-69
Single person living alone	€276	€302
Single person living with family	€246	€260
Married couple/lone-parent family with dependent children	€400	€447
Allowance for each of first 2 children aged under 16	€57	€57
Allowance for 3rd and for each subsequent child under 16	€61.50	€61.50
Allowance for each of first 2 children aged over 16 (with no income)	€58.50	€58.50
Allowance for 3rd and for each subsequent child over 16 (no income)	€64	€64
Each dependant over 16 years in full-time non-grant aided third-level	€117	€117

 

There are also allowances for certain expenses incurred in respect of childcare costs and rent/mortgage payments. The HSE do not clarify the exact value of accommodation and childcare expenses. They usually have guidelines in each Local Health office area which take local charges into account.  Some worked examples of how you may qualify for a GP Visit Card are available here.

Allowances for weekly travel costs to work are assessed as the actual cost of public transport, or mileage at 30 cent per mile (18 cent per km).

How to apply

To apply for a GP Visit Card, you use the same application form as that for a medical card. While your GP Visit Card application is being processed, the HSE will also assess your entitlement for a full medical card.

Download an application form for a GP Visit Card and Medical Card here (pdf). Complete the part of the form that is applicable to you and return to your Local Health Office or Health Centre. Remember to include your own PPS Number (and those of your dependents) when you complete the form.

Where to apply

Contact your Local Health Office for more information on GP Visit Cards. Completed application forms should be returned to your local health centre or Local Health Office.