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What do you think of the Government decision to abolish medical cards for the over 70s
Posted on October 16, 2008 at 01:01 PM
There has been widespread anger at many of the severe cutbacks contained in this week's Budget and in particular over the Government decision to abolish the automatic entitlement to medical cards for the over 70s. What do you think? You can take part in our online poll and let us know more in the comments below.
Update: Friday, October 17 - Age Action Ireland will be holding a public meeting on Tuesday, October 21st at 11am in the Alexander Hotel, Fenian Street, Off Merrion Square, Dublin. While the Senior Citizens Parliament will be having an hour long protest outside the Dail on Wednesday 22nd October from 12.30-1.30pm.
Update: Tuesday, October 21st - given the Government's climb-down on medical cards for the over 70s, we have now closed the poll. Thanks to everyone who took the time to vote and to comment, the end result was 84 per cent of people believed the Government should reverse its decision.
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Comments
I think the Government proposals are shocking and appalling. The idea that my grandparents could have their medical cards revoked is causing enormous anxiety for them. We can only hope that pressure leads to a withdrawal of this ludicrous proposal.
It's got to be reversed - the number of wealthy using the medical card over 70 doesn't justify such a draconian response in withholding it from everyone. The initial decision to issue same in 2001 was done in haste as a vote-getter and should have been thought through much more cogently. Then this debacle would not have arisen. The thresholds are still way too low and reversal of the decision is the only way out - not that the gov. will save face but the humiliation of a climb-down will be nothing compared to the wrath of the voters in the constituencies which will probably provoke a mutiny among FF backbenchers who will have to face these victims at their clinics back home.
I am a public health nurse in a mixed rural-urban area in the south-east and am dealing with anxious, worried over-70s who fear and dread the consequences of losing their lifeline as they see it, a card which is much more than enabling doctor access but also access and eligibility to a raft of services all contingent on having a medical card. These services seem to have been totally overlooked by the gov. The PHN service is targeted at Medical card or Long-term illness card holders, and while we would not be questioning people's eligiblity they would be unable to get home help/ home care packages, continence wear, dressings, leg ulcer bandages, and other services and supplies too numerous to list. The community physio and occupational therapy services would be closed to them, and they will be left begging for basic services at a time when they should not have to fight for what are now their entitlements after a life working for their society either in the workforce or at home. Many of this demographic may be asset rich and cash poor and realising the equity in their assets - usually land which they are probably not working on - is not an option. Some may have small occupational pensions which will be levied and put them over the medical card limit even with the raised threshold.
My colleagues and I are all furious at this move and are unable to answer peoples' concerns. It may be recession time but why hit the vulnerable? In the good times they were happy to court the grey vote. Roll on the next elections and a change of regime.
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