Irish Students
Persons aged 16 to 25 (including students) who are financially dependent on their parents will be entitled to a medical card if their parents are medical card holders.
Those who are financially independent of their parents will have their income assessed in their own right.
A student who is entitled to a medical card will receive it in the location where s/he is attending college.
Full eligibility; medical card holders
This category "consists of people who in the opinion of the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board are unable to afford general practitioner services for themselves and their dependants.
Income guidelines are available to determine a person's eligibility" - http://www.dohc.ie
The following services are available to medical card holders;
- a) General practitioner services
- b) All in-patient hospital services in public wards
- c) Specialist services in out-patient clinics
- d) Dental, ophthalmic and aural services
- e) Prescribed drugs, medicines, medical and surgical appliances, dental, optical and aural appliances
- f) Maternity care and infant welfare services
- g) Maternity cash grant for each newborn child
Studying abroad
The European Health Insurance Card entitles the holder and dependants accompanying him or her to all health services available to residents of the EEA Member State where he or she is staying under the General Public Medical Scheme.You may also receive prescriptions at a reduced cost.
(It must be remembered though that The European Health Insurance Card may not cover the full cost of medical or hospital expenses in EEA countries and it does not cover ambulance costs or air transport to Ireland if necessary or funeral expenses.)
You may have to take out private travel Insurance for such matters. The VHI board, BUPA and the Hospital Saturday Fund may be able to advice policy holders of schemes abroad.
The European Health Insurance Card covers a person who stays in a member state to study there or receive vocational training up to a maximum of 3 years. The study or training must be an integral part of a course leading to a qualification officially recognised by the authorities of the Member State.
If you are travelling abroad to study you can apply for an application form for the issue of The European Health Insurance Card to:
East Coast Area Health Board
Overseas section
Dr. Steevens' Hospital
Dublin 8.
You should then complete the application form and return it to that office together with a letter from the college saying that You will be registered as a full-time student while staying in the other EEA country.
E.U. Students
The above information will apply to you. All G.P visits and general medications are free of charge.
You will need to have applied to your country of origin for The European Health Insurance Card beforehand, if not please do so ASAP. Please contact the Student Health Centre or the Mary Mercer Centre, Jobstown -4585700 for info.
