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The HSE's service plan says there is a 'funding shortfall' of €100m in hospital services for next year

€100m 'funding shortfall' in hospital services

The Health Service Executive's national service plan indicates there is a "funding shortfall" of €100 million in hospital services for next year, after taking account of expected growth costs and initial cost saving measures.

News • 16 Dec 15

Magdalene women are to get medical services equivalent to those provided to the holders of the unique Health Amendment Act Card

Magdalene women to get special medical card

The Government is to give effect to Judge John Quirke's recommendation that the special medical card be awarded to survivors of Magdalene Laundries and similar institutions.

News • 28 Jan 15

Chief Executive of the National Association of GPs Chris Goodey

Medical card computer system criticised

The National Association of General Practitioners has claimed that the Health Service Executive computer system to allow GPs to extend medical cards is "fundamentally flawed".

News • 28 Nov 14

Billy Kelleher said the scheme governing discretionary medical cards should have been retained

Minister to reform discretionary medical cards

Minister for Health Leo Varadkar has said he will bring forward proposals to the Cabinet to reform the discretionary medical card system based on the unpublished report by Professor Frank Keane.

News • 03 Oct 14

The medical card issue caused major public and political controversy earlier this year

'Not feasible' to list illnesses for medical cards

An expert panel has concluded that it is not possible to identify a list of medical conditions to be considered when determining a person's eligibility for a medical card.

News • 02 Oct 14

Enda Kenny said the system was changed to bring equality to it, but the computer 'doesn't have nature'

Kenny regrets medical card issue 'got out of hand'

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said he "regrets" that the medical card issue "got out of hand".

News • 22 Jun 14

About 15,000 people are to have their medical cards reinstated

Process to restore medical cards begins

The Health Service Executive has said it will take at least three weeks before some discretionary medical card holders will hear from it about cards being restored to them.

News • 18 Jun 14

Alex White claimed Taoiseach had looked to fire former garda commissioner Martin Callinan

Kenny denies White claims over garda commisioner

Taoiseach Enda Kenny said he has no comment on Minister of State at the Department of Health Mr White’s comments that he had "looked to fire" Mr Callinan.

News • 06 Jun 14

Tony O'Brien said the process of reissuing medical cards could take a few weeks

'Difficulties' reissuing medical cards - HSE

HSE Director General Tony O'Brien has said there is a difficulty in reissuing cards to people who had lost their medical cards after being assessed.

News • 06 Jun 14

HSE appoints panel for medical card eligibility

The HSE has announced the make-up of the expert panel that is to examine how medical card needs should be taken into account in the context of medical card eligibility.

News • 09 Jun 14

James Reilly said the Department of Health was 'cut to the bone'

No support from some Cabinet colleagues - Reilly

Minister for Health James Reilly has told the Fine Gael Parliamentary meeting that he had not received the support of some of his Cabinet colleagues on the medical card issue.

News • 05 Jun 14

Mr Kenny said he was very unhappy with letters sent out to people suffering from debilitating illnesses

Taoiseach to make medical card issue a priority

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said he will sit down with the new Labour Party leader when he or she is appointed and address the issue of medical cards as a matter of priority.

News • 31 May 14

According to the HSE it is not legally possible to restore cards to those who have already been through the appeal process

No reinstatement of discretionary medical cards

The Health Service Executive has said that those who have had their medical card withdrawn following a review will be dealt with as sympathetically as possible.

News • 30 May 14

The HSE said it seems requests for information are being misconstrued

HSE says requests for information misconstrued

The HSE has said that medical card applicants are not required to provide proof of life-long conditions, when a card falls due for renewal.

News • 26 May 14

The campaign is being headed up by Kevin Shortall whose daughter, Louise, is battling leukaemia

Call for medical cards for seriously ill children

A campaign has been launched today, calling on the Government to change legislation to automatically entitle any child with a serious illness to a full medical card.

News • 20 May 14

About 96% of people who were being reviewed were retaining their cards, according to Eamon Gilmore

Three medical card letters a 'form of harassment'

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has said sending somebody three letters in the space of two years about their medical card was "a form of harassment".

News • 16 May 14

The delegation was told by the HSE that some medical card documentation has been misfiled

Health committee team discusses medical cards

A delegation from the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children visited the HSE's medical card centre in Finglas this morning.

News • 15 May 14

Jerry Buttimer said the visit was an opportunity to discuss a variety of issues with the HSE in relation to medical cards

Committee to visit HSE's medical card centre

The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children is due to visit the Health Service Executive's medical card centre in Finglas Co Dublin tomorrow.

News • 14 May 14

Minister for Health James Reilly is considering changes to the medical card system

Noonan: Health budget should allow 'flexibility'

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan has said the overall health budget should allow the Minister for Health sufficient flexibility to make whatever changes he deems necessary on medical cards.

News • 05 May 14

James Reilly said the Government is exploring options to help people who are in difficulty

Govt considers medical card options

Minister for Health James Reilly has said a third tier medical card is one of a number of options being considered.

News • 01 May 14

Tony O'Brien insisted that there has been no change in policy in respect of medical cards

One million medical cards to be reviewed in 2014

There will be a substantial review of one million medical cards in 2014, the Public Accounts Committee has heard.

News • 14 Nov 13

Alex White said 93% of people over 70 will still have free GP care

Govt wins Dáil vote on medical card changes

Changes to eligibility limits for medical cards for people over 70, announced in the Budget, have been voted through the second stage in the Dáil.

News • 13 Nov 13

James Reilly said a discretionary medical card was given on the basis of financial hardship and not on the basis of illness

Reilly seeks to reassure over medical cards

Minister for Health James Reilly has said that people who have a medical card and are entitled to it have nothing to fear about losing it.

News • 18 Oct 13

Enda Kenny said 43% of people now have access to free medical care

Thousands having medical cards withdrawn - Martin

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has told the Dáil that thousands of people across the country are receiving letters telling them their medical cards are being taken from them.

News • 24 Sep 13

Medical Cards