75,000 People To Lose Medical Cards Next Year

75,000 people to lose medical cards next year

The HSE says a review of all medical cards currently in issue will result in around 25,000 people losing the cards they already hold. Another 30,000 will be taken from older people who are now over the income limits for a full medical card. However the HSE has slashed the amount it expects to save from reviewing medical cards. HSE director-general Tony O'Brien says the original target set down by government simply could not be achieved. "In order to completely remove any doubt about the 113 figure, by agreement we're re-allocating from our budget for pension lump sums 63 million, and our original target of 20 million is increasing by 3 million to 23 million" he said. "So instead of 133, we now have 23" he added.