Liz McManus TD

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Huge Backlog in Over 70s Medical Card

Issued : Wednesday 6 January, 2010

Labour TD Liz McManus has called for support for IMPACT’s request for the establishment of an all-Party Oireachtas Committee to review the decision to centralise all medical card applications for the Over-70s.

"The Government in its wisdom decided last year to centralise all applications for Over-70s medical cards to the Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) in Finglas, Dublin", said Deputy Liz McManus. "I understand this decision was taken without consultation with medical card staff based in local health centres around the country.

"This has resulted in a huge backlog in processing applications and many elderly people are being badly affected by the delays. A lady from Wicklow Town recently contacted me saying that she had a medical card for the past 19 years and yet she is being asked at the age of 80 to re-apply for the card even though her circumstances haven’t changed.

"The Minister for Health confirmed recently that there are 6,500 applications for the Over-70s medical card outstanding and the hard pressed staff in the PCRS are finding it extremely difficult to cope with the amount of applications coming in.

"I would certainly lend my support to IMPACT’s request for a review of the PCRS and I would urge the HSE to revert to the old system. The medical card staff in health centres around the country processed medical card applications efficiently and effectively and they should be given back this job again", said Deputy McManus.