When people return to Ireland from the UK, questions about healthcare benefits are usually on the top of their list. There is usually confusion between medical cards and GP cards.
You need to be ‘ordinarily resident’ in order to have either of the cards, that means you need to show you live in Ireland and intend to do so for a year or more.
A lease or proof of owning a property or, in some cases, an affidavit will be enough to prove this. This means that, even if you have just arrived, you can still be found to be ordinarily resident immediately, so long as you can show you are planning to stay for at least a year and intend to spend at least 8 months of that year actually living here.
Medical cards
A medical card entitles you to access certain health services free of charge. It is almost always means–tested, regardless of your age. However, once you are over 70 years old, the medical card means test changes and becomes more lenient.
If you are ordinarily resident in Ireland but are getting a social security pension from another EU/EEA country or the UK or Switzerland, or you are working and paying social insurance in one of these countries, you may be entitled to a non–means–tested medical card under EU rules. You must not be in receipt of a contributory Irish social welfare payment or be working in Ireland and liable to pay PRSI, in order to qualify.
GP Visit Cards
A GP visit card does exactly what it says on the tin. It entitles you only to see your GP free of charge. It is means–tested if you are between 6 and 69 (inclusive). The means test for the GP visit card is different to the test for the medical card, so if your income is low, but slightly too high for a medical card, you may be offered a GP visit card instead. Children under 6 and adults who are 70 or older are entitled to a non–means–tested GP visit card, so long as they are ordinarily resident in Ireland.
You can read the guide to medical and GP visit cards here or make an online application here. If you have any questions, you should contact the HSE information line on 1850 24 1850 or from outside Ireland on 00353–41–6850300.
This information has come from the Crosscare Migrant Project, you can contact them if you are thinking of returning to Ireland.