HSE reveals data on medical card applications in Mayo
Some 188 applications for medical cards in Mayo were unsuccessful so far in 2026 while a total of 1,604 were unsuccessful in 2024 and 1,380 in 2025.
Responding to a query from Cllr Michael Kilcoyne at the recent meeting of the Health Forum West Northwest, HSE management stated: “The medical card scheme is based on a financial assessment of the applicant’s or applicants’ weekly income and means and administered under the National Medical Card/GP Visit Card National Assessment Guidelines. In the event that an applicant’s means are above the financial threshold for the granting of medical card eligibility, other factors in relation to the burden of illness are taken into consideration and eligibility may be granted where it is deemed appropriate to exercise discretion because of the undue burden on the applicant and/or any dependants.
"Medical card eligibility is not revoked. However, a medical card may expire for a number of reasons, including failure by the applicant to submit a review application within the specified timeframe; the applicant’s income now exceeding the eligibility threshold, meaning they no longer qualify; the applicant may not have responded to a confirmation of residence request, resulting in eligibility being suspended until such time as residence is proven; the applicant may have been removed from a GP panel and did not return a completed change of doctor form, resulting in eligibility being suspended until such time as the form is returned or three GP refusals are provided.”
Cllr Kilcoyne said he expected the total of unsuccessful applications would have been higher, taking into consideration what he had been hearing on the ground.
- Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
