Entitlements & Benefits
Conditional Entitlements
Primary Care Re-Imbursement Scheme (PCRS) (formerly GMS or Medical Card):
Those covered by a PCRS card get all medicines and health care free of charge.
To Qualify: Household income must normally be below a certain level. This level is adjusted every year, and it varies too according to whether you are single or married, the number of children in the family and any rent or mortgage you are paying and some travel expenses. In some cases, persons whose income is above the guidelines may still be given a medical card if the health board considers they are unable to provide the necessary care for themselves and their family. A medical card may be awarded to an individual member of the family on an individual basis. Income is gross income less PRSI contributions.
There is also now a limited form of Doctor visit only PCRS card to cover GP visits but not the cost of prescriptions for those who don't qualify on income grounds but for whom the cost of visiting the GP is prohibitively high. This scheme is additional to the existing GMS scheme
A means test applies to those persons over 70 years who exceed a certain income limit. Those over 70s below this threshold qualify for a medical card. those with incomes exceeding this threshold but who have difficulty meeting their medical needs will be eligible to apply instead for a medical card under the discretionary scheme operated by the HSE.
How to Apply: Application forms are available at your HSE/health centre. In an emergency, you may be able to claim short-term assistance with medical costs from the Dept of Social Welfare.
