I am a full-time carer for my mother. I don’t qualify for a medical card but I’ve heard that a GP visit card for carers is now available. How do I apply to get one?
TheThe rulesrules forfor GP visitvisit cardscards havehave changed.changed. NowNow everyoneeveryone whowho isis gettinggetting Carer’s Benefit oror Carer’s Allowance, atat fullfull raterate oror halfhalf rate,rate, isis eligibleeligible forfor aa GP visitvisit card.card.
ToTo getget thethe GP visitvisit card,card, youyou completecomplete thethe registrationregistration formform forfor carers.carers. TheThe formform doesdoes notnot askask forfor informationinformation aboutabout youryour incomeincome –– justjust youryour personalpersonal andand contactcontact details.details. YouYou alsoalso needneed toto getget thethe formform signedsigned byby youryour GP. YouYou mustmust choosechoose youryour GP fromfrom thethe listlist ofof participatingparticipating GPs. YouYou cancan getget aa registrationregistration form,form, andand thethe listlist ofof participatingparticipating GPs, onon medicalcard.medicalcard.ieie oror byby callingcalling LoCallLoCall 18901890 252252 919.919. YouYou cancan alsoalso registerregister forfor thethe cardcard onlineonline atat medicalcard.medicalcard.ie.ie.
WhenWhen youyou havehave aa GP visitvisit card,card, youyou cancan visitvisit thethe GP forfor free.free. It alsoalso coverscovers visitsvisits toto out-out-of-of-hourshours GP services.services. However, thethe GP visitvisit cardcard doesdoes notnot covercover hospitalhospital charges.charges.
PrescribedPrescribed drugsdrugs areare notnot coveredcovered byby thethe cardcard but,but, ifif youyou useuse thethe Drugs PaymentPayment Scheme,Scheme, therethere isis aa limitlimit onon howhow muchmuch youyou havehave toto paypay forfor prescriptionsprescriptions eacheach month.month. At present,present, youyou paypay aa maximummaximum ofof €134134 inin aa calendarcalendar monthmonth forfor approvedapproved prescribedprescribed drugsdrugs andand medicinesmedicines forfor useuse byby yourselfyourself andand youryour familyfamily inin thatthat month.month.
YouYou cancan downloaddownload anan applicationapplication formform forfor thethe Drugs PaymentPayment SchemeScheme fromfrom thethe Health ServiceService Executive ((HSE) website,website, hse.hse. ie,ie, oror youyou cancan getget anan applicationapplication formform fromfrom youryour pharmacypharmacy oror LocalLocal Health Office.Office.
Further informationinformation isis availableavailable fromfrom thethe Citizens Information Centre below.below.