Medical card entitlement

hibble

Just looking for the answer to this query please.

Married couple with no dependants.
Husband on JSA is entitled to and has received a medical card. Is the wife automatically entitled to one?
Thanks in advance.

splinter65

hibble wrote: »

Just looking for the answer to this query please.

Married couple with no dependants.
Husband on JSA is entitled to and has received a medical card. Is the wife automatically entitled to one?
Thanks in advance.

On the medical card application he had to include all the information about his wife. Then he got a letter telling him he was entitled to a medical card. That letter would have referred to his wife. What did it say?

hibble

splinter65 wrote: »

On the medical card application he had to include all the information about his wife

He originally filled in the form 4 years ago just prior to starting a CE scheme he got the card his wife didn't which made no sense to either of us as they were both drawing from the same household budget? Enquiries were made but he was told he was entitled - she wasn't.

While he was on the scheme a new card for him was sent out before he got around to reapplying.

Last week a card was again sent automatically but on the accompanying letter it states
"Attached is a Medical card for you and for other family members where applicable. "

In the IMPORTANT INFORMATION on the back, section 9 in bold type states

"A family unit includes Adults- married, cohabiting or in a civil partnership."

Hence the confusion

RandomViewer

hibble wrote: »

He originally filled in the form 4 years ago just prior to starting a CE scheme he got the card his wife didn't which made no sense to either of us as they were both drawing from the same household budget? Enquiries were made but he was told he was entitled - she wasn't.

While he was on the scheme a new card for him was sent out before he got around to reapplying.

Last week a card was again sent automatically but on the accompanying letter it states
"Attached is a Medical card for you and for other family members where applicable. "

In the IMPORTANT INFORMATION on the back, section 9 in bold type states

"A family unit includes Adults- married, cohabiting or in a civil partnership."

Hence the confusion

She would have got a separate card, each family member will get their own card

hibble

RandomViewer wrote: »

She would have got a separate card, each family member will get their own card

That's what I said to him, she hasn't received a card. I think he needs to ring them and see what the story is.
I just cant get my head around that if they think he can't afford to go private why assume his wife can?

RandomViewer

hibble wrote: »

That's what I said to him, she hasn't received a card. I think he needs to ring them and see what the story is.
I just cant get my head around that if they think he can't afford to go private why assume his wife can?

Doesn't work like that, my wife is carer for a relative so qualifies for GP only card,

lughildanach

Situation is probably linked to the fact that he was in CE position at the time.

Normally one partner/spouse applies and the means test is applied to the whole family. If they are under the threshold, the whole family are issued with a card.

However, CE participants get a medical card regardless of their income (which is usually a good thing). But this concession is not automatically given to the spouse/partner, so they still have to qualify for the means test. Its a bit of glitch in the system, and can result in the CE participant being given a card, the spouse being ignored until he/she submits her own application.

However, be careful, if you are no longer on CE scheme, you may no longer qualify, so by submitting new application at this time, you may end up losing your card as well. Make sure you qualify under the current circumstances before contacting them.

lughildanach

There are other circumstances where one spouse is entitled and the other is not. These are usually related to some medical issue, where a discretionary card has been issued to one person even though the family is above the income threshold.

Just because someone is on Jobseekers, does not mean they will automatically get a medical card. The calculations are different for each payment. It is possible to have a Jobseekers payment and no medical card, and likewise, it is possible to have a medical card and still be above the limit for Jobseekers payment.

Medical card income thresholds are very low (much lower than Jobseekers in most circumstances), but they take housing costs into account, which Jobseekers does not.