The short version
A medical card is means tested on weekly net income and covers far more than a GP visit card: medicines at €1.50 an item, public hospital care, community services, and dental, optical and aural treatment.
The limits are low — €184 a week for a single person living alone under 66. But two things widen the door much further than the headline suggests: allowable expenses are deducted before the comparison, and the HSE has discretion where medical costs cause hardship.
One application, two possible outcomes
The HSE assesses the same online form for both cards. If your income is too high for a medical card, you are automatically considered for a GP visit card, which has limits more than twice as high. You do not need to apply twice.
What a medical card covers
| Service | What you get |
|---|---|
| GP care | Free consultations with your chosen participating GP, plus free GP out-of-hours services |
| Prescribed medicines | €1.50 per item under 70, €1 per item over 70 — monthly caps apply |
| Public hospital care | Inpatient and outpatient treatment in a public bed, with no charge |
| Emergency department | Exempt from the €100 charge that applies without a GP referral |
| Community services | Public health nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy |
| Dental | Examination, and treatments under the Dental Treatment Services Scheme |
| Optical and aural | Sight tests, spectacles, hearing tests and hearing aids under public schemes |
| Maternity and infant care | Care during pregnancy and for the infant’s first six weeks |
| Aids and appliances | Medical and surgical aids and appliances where clinically assessed as needed |
A medical card also exempts you from the Health Contribution element of USC in some circumstances, and can entitle school-age children in your household to the school transport scheme at a reduced rate.
Income limits if you are under 70
Your weekly net income — after tax, PRSI and USC — is compared to the basic rate for your household. Dependant allowances are added to that rate, and allowable expenses are deducted from your income.
| Household | Weekly limit |
|---|---|
| Single person living alone, up to 65 | €184 |
| Single person living alone, 66 and over | €201.50 |
| Single person living with family, up to 65 | €164 |
| Single person living with family, 66 and over | €173.50 |
| Couple or lone-parent family with dependants, up to 65 | €266.50 |
| Couple or lone-parent family with dependants, 66 and over | €298 |
| Dependant | Added to your limit |
|---|---|
| Each of the first 2 children under 16 | + €38 |
| Third and each subsequent child under 16 | + €41 |
| Each of the first 2 children over 16 | + €39 |
| Third and each subsequent child over 16 | + €42.50 |
| A dependant over 16 in full-time, non-grant-aided third-level education | + €78 |
Allowable expenses are the difference between a yes and a no
Rent or mortgage payments, childcare costs, and the reasonable cost of travelling to work are deducted from your income before the comparison. A couple paying €1,600 a month in rent has roughly €370 a week taken off their assessable income — enough to move many households from over the limit to under it.
The over-70s route
If you are 70 or over, a different and more generous assessment applies. It looks at gross weekly income rather than net, uses higher thresholds, and does not require the same expense workings.
If you are over 70 and above the medical card threshold, you still qualify for a GP visit card automatically, with no means test at all. Nobody over 70 in Ireland should be paying for a GP visit.
Discretionary and emergency cards
The HSE can issue a card outside the income rules in two situations, and both are underused:
- Discretionary medical card. Your income is above the limit, but medical expenses cause undue hardship. The HSE weighs the diagnosis, the treatment plan and the ongoing cost. Applications supported by a consultant or GP letter setting out monthly costs succeed far more often than bare forms.
- Emergency medical card. Issued quickly, usually for six months, to people who are terminally ill or who need urgent ongoing care. It is granted without a means test on the basis of a clinical report, and reviewed before it expires.
There is also a separate automatic entitlement for children under 18 diagnosed with cancer, and for children in the care of the State.
Applying and renewing without losing cover
Apply online at HSE.ie. You will need PPS numbers for everyone on the application, proof of income, proof of the expenses you are claiming, and proof of address.
Renewal is where most people lose the card
Cards are reviewed periodically and the HSE writes to you. If you miss the deadline the card lapses and you pay full price for GP visits and medicines until it is reinstated — which can take weeks. Diary the review date the moment the letter arrives, and reply even if nothing has changed.
If your card lapses or you are refused, you can appeal, and you can reapply at any time if your circumstances change. In the meantime, our breakdown of what healthcare costs in Ireland sets out what you will be charged and which schemes cap it.
Common questions
What is the income limit for a medical card in Ireland?
The HSE weekly basic rates are €184 for a single person living alone aged up to 65, €201.50 if aged 66 or over, €164 for a single person living with family aged up to 65, and €266.50 for a couple or lone-parent family aged up to 65 with dependants (€298 if aged 66 or over). Dependant allowances and allowable expenses are applied on top.
What does a medical card cover in Ireland?
Free GP visits and out-of-hours care, prescribed medicines at €1.50 per item, public hospital inpatient and outpatient care including the emergency department charge, community services such as public health nursing and therapies, dental, optical and aural treatment under public schemes, and maternity and infant care.
How much do prescriptions cost with a medical card?
If you are under 70 the charge is €1.50 per item, capped at €15 a month per person or family. If you are over 70 it is €1 per item, capped at €10 a month. Register a family certificate with your pharmacist so the cap is applied automatically.
Do all over-70s get a medical card in Ireland?
No, but the over-70s means test is far more generous and looks at gross income rather than net. Over-70s who do not qualify for a medical card usually qualify for a GP visit card automatically with no means test at all.
What is a discretionary medical card?
Where your income is above the limit but medical costs cause undue hardship, the HSE can grant a card at its discretion. Supply a consultant or GP letter setting out the diagnosis, the treatment plan and the monthly cost you are carrying.
Does a medical card cover the €100 emergency department charge?
Yes. Medical card holders are exempt from the €100 charge for attending an emergency department without a GP referral.
Where these figures come from
- HSE — how much you can earn and still qualify
- Citizens Information — under-70s means test
- HSE — prescription charges for medical card holders
Charges and thresholds change. We check these figures regularly, but always confirm the current rate with the official source before you rely on it. This page explains entitlements, costs and process — it is not medical advice.
Waiting on a decision, or just over the limit?
Assessments take weeks, and plenty of households sit just above the threshold. ViscaCare members get online Doctor access from day one across Ireland, the UK and Europe, with prescriptions where clinically appropriate.
Related guides
GP visit card
Free GP visits on higher income limits than a medical card.
Read moreWhat healthcare costs in Ireland
GP fees, the €100 ED charge, prescription caps and consultant fees.
Read moreSick certs in Ireland
What a cert costs, and how Illness Benefit and employer certification work.
Read moreRegister with a GP
What a practice can and cannot ask for, and what to do if you are refused.
Read moreGetting a sick note (UK)
Self-certification, fit notes, and who can issue one on the NHS.
Read more