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Medical Cards & Long Term Illness Card
HSE GMS Medical Card
You may be entitled to a HSE approved GMS medical card, however, you have to apply to the HSE for same. There are several types of GMS medical card
If you have a full GMS medical card you don't have to pay to see your GP (doctor) or for most medicines they prescribe.
A full GMS medical card also covers:
- public out-patient and in-patient services
- eye and ear tests
- dental checks
- prescription items at a reduced fee.
If you have a medical card, you can get prescription medicines free of charge.
If you are under the age of 70 years, there is a prescription charge of €1.50 for each item. This is up to a maximum of €15 per month, for each person or family.
If you are over 70 years of age, there is a prescription charge of €1 for each item. This is up to a maximum of €10 per month, for each person or family.
Check if you can apply
Anyone who lives in the Republic of Ireland and plans to live there for at least 1 year can apply for a medical card.
Being eligible for a medical card depends on your circumstances. If you do not automatically qualify for a medical card, we will carry out an assessment.
You must provide information about your:
- income
- expenses
- marital status
- dependants
If you're not eligible for a medical card, we will then automatically assess you for a GP visit card.
People who automatically qualify
You may automatically qualify for a medical card if you:
- are participating in certain government schemes
- have been affected by the drug Thalidomide
- have had a surgical Symphysiotomy
- are a child diagnosed with cancer within the last 5 years
- are in foster care
- live in direct provision
- qualify under EU Regulations
For any of these you will not be subject to a financial assessment. But you will still need to apply.
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), but it is your responsibility to apply for same, they are not issued automatically.
f 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. You may be eligible under the New Thresholds from September 2023.
If you do not qualify for a full medical card you may qualify for doctor visit card.
Services
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.
Medical cards for children and young people
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
Appeals, reviews and managing your medical card
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 return 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 FP 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 nmcu.cod@hse.ie. You will need to provide:
- Proof 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.
More information
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
Email: pcrs.applications@hse.iePage edited: 11 March 2024
Related documents
- Services for medical card and GP visit card holdersFamily doctors (GPs) provide certain services to medical card and GP visit card holders free of charge.
- 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.
- Over 70s means test for medical cardsHow your income is assessed for the medical card income limits if you are over 70 years of age.
Items not covered by a GMS medical card full or doctor visit.
Your Medical/GP Visit Card entitles you to a range of services from your General Practitioner which are determined by the HSE and the Department of Health, for which the doctor receives payment from the State.
There are, however, a number of additional services provided by many General Practitioners which are not covered by the agreement between the State and General Practitioners. The most commonly requested services not covered by Medical/GP Visit Card are listed below and if you require any of these services please consult with the practice staff to see if they are available and what arrangements are in place for the provision of such services.
→ Minor Surgery → Phlebotomy Services (Routine Blood Tests)
→ Warfarin Monitoring → Women’s and Men’s health clinics
→ Dressings → Travel Vaccinations → Pre-Employment Medicals
→ Insurance medicals/reports → Medical examinations for legal purposes
→ Sports medicals/reports → Examinations relating to fitness to drive
→ Passport/identity reports → Crèche reports/School attendance notes/certificates
→ Certificates/letters in support of applications for services under the Social Welfare Acts
→ Utilities reports/letters → Therapeutic Counselling
→ Preventative Services (i.e. Health checks/Screening services
The HSE also provide assistance with regard to certain medications. Long-Term Illness Scheme Under t
* You do not have to hold a GMS medical card to avail of the Long Term illness.
Medical conditions covered
The conditions covered by the scheme are:
- Acute leukaemia
- Cerebral palsy
- Cystic fibrosis
- Diabetes insipidus
- Diabetes mellitus (Gestational diabetes not included)
- Epilepsy
- Haemophilia
- Hydrocephalus
- Intellectual disability (mental handicap)
- Mental health condition - people age 16 and younger
- Muscular dystrophy
- Multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Parkinsonism
- Phenylketonuria (PKU)
- Spina bifida
- Thalidomide conditions
Who can apply
Anyone who is living in Ireland and intends to live here for at least 1 year can apply.
To show that you live in Ireland, send a copy of one of these with your application:
- a utility bill dated within the last three months - gas, electricity or phone
- a recent bank statement or credit card statement
- a current car or home insurance policy in the applicant's name
- an official document from a government department, the Revenue or a local authority
There is no means test for the scheme.
If your application is successful, you will get a Long-Term Illness Scheme card. This card replaces the Long-Term Illness Scheme green book.
Apply for Long term illness
You can apply for the Long-Term Illness Scheme by post.
Download an application form:
- Long-Term Illness Scheme application form (PDF, 404KB, 6 pages)
- Scéim na dTinneas Fadtéarmach foirm iarratais (Irish, PDF, 1163KB, 6 pages)
Complete the form and post it to:
Long-Term Illness Scheme,
Client Registration Unit,
PO Box 12962,
Dublin 11,
D11 XKF3
If you cannot download the form:
- phone 0818 224 478 to order one over the phone
- get a form for your local local health office
What to include in your application
You'll need to provide your:
- full name
- date of birth
- sex
- PPS number
- address
- contact details
- proof of address
Your doctor or consultant will need to sign the form and provide a medical report.
On the form, they will list any:
- long-term illness conditions you have
- medication and appliances you need to treat your condition