Just got my medical card!

Celvapan

Hi all,

Just got my medical card in the post today, the new online application system is very swift -I literally posted my hard copy with the doctors stamp last Friday, I got a text on Monday that i was eligible for the medical card and with the card number and now today I got the card.

Its very funny, I have never had a free eye test the whole time I was working as I was told that I didnt have enough stamps built up for that, which I was shocked at as I have worked for 6 years at least...So being made redundant does have its benefits! :rolleyes:

Anyway, on the letter enclosed it says that I am entitled to "Dental/Opthalmic and Aural Services". I could do with going to the dentist and optician as I have been putting these off due to a lack of funds. What does the medical card cover at the dentist and optician?? I'll be making my appointments for next week Thanks!

shocksy

the new rules regarding dental procedures on the medical card is, you are entitled to one check up a year, 2 emergancy only fillings, not sure about extractions, but my brother attended recently for a cleaning and the cost is €60. maybe someone else can fill u in on other stuff.

As for the optician your entitled to an eye test. frames and lenses you get a discount off them, but still have to pay some amount towards them.

Sparky J

Hi just looking into this too because i've been putting off going to dentist due to lack of funds also.
Am I correct in saying that if you are getting the full €196 benefit that you wont qualify for the medical card?
The limit seems to be €184 for independent single persons.

Edit:
Actually Just filled out the on-line form and think I am eligible although I forgot to put in the rent supplement I receive because I didn't see a box for it.

Few more questions now though if anyone has an answer:

1) How do you show documentary evidence of your income JSB & Rent Supplement, I don't have a social welfare book or rent book so would my receipt that I get from Post Office every week suffice for this?

2) If your savings are below €36000 do you need to show any bank statements?

3) Also do you have to get a GP to sign the form or would a dentist do also?

shocksy

Sparky J wrote: »

Hi just looking into this too because i've been putting off going to dentist due to lack of funds also.
Am I correct in saying that if you are getting the full €196 benefit that you wont qualify for the medical card?
The limit seems to be €184 for independent single persons.

Edit:
Actually Just filled out the on-line form and think I am eligible although I forgot to put in the rent supplement I receive because I didn't see a box for it.

Few more questions now though if anyone has an answer:

1) How do you show documentary evidence of your income JSB & Rent Supplement, I don't have a social welfare book or rent book so would my receipt that I get from Post Office every week suffice for this?

2) If your savings are below €36000 do you need to show any bank statements?

3) Also do you have to get a GP to sign the form or would a dentist do also?

Hiya, as to your first question, if you receive the full €196, you are eligable for the medical card.

Secondly you will need to get a form filled out and stamped by your local social welfare office, and your GP has to stamp a part of that form aswell, dentist would not suffice. As for savings i dont know answer to that.

cee_jay

If you have a payment slip from the post office, that will have your weekly amount of Jobseeker's on that. Otherwise if its paid into your bank account you could submit that.
There is nowhere on the form for Social Welfare to stamp - you could ask your local office for a letter stating your weekly amount also.

Sparky J

Thanks for replys.

Celvapan

Sparky J wrote: »

Hi just looking into this too because i've been putting off going to dentist due to lack of funds also.
Am I correct in saying that if you are getting the full €196 benefit that you wont qualify for the medical card?
The limit seems to be €184 for independent single persons.

Edit:
Actually Just filled out the on-line form and think I am eligible although I forgot to put in the rent supplement I receive because I didn't see a box for it.

Few more questions now though if anyone has an answer:

1) How do you show documentary evidence of your income JSB & Rent Supplement, I don't have a social welfare book or rent book so would my receipt that I get from Post Office every week suffice for this?

2) If your savings are below €36000 do you need to show any bank statements?

3) Also do you have to get a GP to sign the form or would a dentist do also?

1) As proof of my JSB I just photocopied the original page that I received from the Social Wefare saying that I was eligible for JSB.

2) There was no question on savings on the form and they didnt ask for any bank statements.

3) Agree with the other posters, the GP has to stamp the medical card form and then you post it off.



On a side note, I rang up the optician about getting an eye test and I had to get a form from them called "Health Board Community Ophthalmic Services Schemes". I have to get my local health board office to sign and stamp the form and then I bring it with me to my eye test. When I collected the form today from the optician, he said that I should get the eye test for free and a certain amount of money off my lenses and frames. :cool:

I rang the person in the medical card dental scheme office also, and she said that there were changes made to what you are covered for at the dentist with the MC. She said that there was more available before the last budget and that the best way to find out what is available now is to talk to your local dentist. I'll do that next week. I have heard that you are only covered for 2 emergency fillings a year now...:(

delly

Just a note to the OP. As you hold a medical card within the current tax year and have been made redundant, you will be able to claim back any income levy (2%) and health levy (2%) that you might have paid out during the year. You have to apply for this refund tho' and I think you have to wait until the current tax year is over.

Celvapan

delly wrote: »

Just a note to the OP. As you hold a medical card within the current tax year and have been made redundant, you will be able to claim back any income levy (2%) and health levy (2%) that you might have paid out during the year. You have to apply for this refund tho' and I think you have to wait until the current tax year is over.

Hi Delly, Thanks for the info. Funny I thought the same thing and went up to the Revenue a few weeks ago and asked about this and she said that I didnt qualify for the levy refund. I was prob abit early off the mark, that would make sense that I have to wait for the tax year to finish. You would think that she would have told me that...

I have also heard that if you leave the country you are entitled to the pension levy back but when you return to the country, you have to refund it again. Not sure how true this is, but might be worth looking into for some people who have been hit by that aswell, made redundant and are thinking of jumping ship...