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GP visit cards

With a GP visit card you don't have to pay to see your GP. Find out about the types of GP visit cards and how to apply

• GP visit cards - types you can apply for
• Lost or stolen medical card or GP visit card
• Contact GP visit card service
• GPs who accept medical cards or GP visit cards

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Services for medical card and GP visit card holders

Introduction, free services with a medical card or gp visit card, medical services not covered, other services covered by a medical card, more information.

With a medical card , you can get many public services for free. With a GP visit card , you can get free GP visits.

If you have a medical card or GP visit card, your doctor must treat you in the same way they treat private patients. GPs have a contract with the HSE listing the services they must provide for medical card and GP visit card holders. This means that for example, surgery times and access to home visits must be the same for all patients.

This service is paid for by the Health Service Executive (HSE) through the Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS).

Emergency and out-of-hours services for medical and GP visit card holders

If you have a medical card, your GP must provide or arrange for emergency services for you and their other medical card patients. You can read more about charges for going to the emergency department .

Your GP may have a rota system with other doctors to provide cross-cover for out-of-hours situations for medical card and GP visit card holders.

Even if you have a medical card or GP visit card, your GP does not have to provide the following services for free:

• Eye tests for a driving licence
• Reports for life assurance
• Medical certificates for absence from work

If you need a medical report to apply for a social welfare payment, the Department of Social Protection may cover the fee.

If you are a medical card holder, you pay a reduced rate of the Universal Social Charge on your income, if it is over the exemption limit.

In Budget 2024, the Government announced the reduced rate of Universal Social Charge (USC) for medical card holders is being extended until 31 December 2025. Reduced rates of USC apply to people who have a full medical card and an income of €60,000 or less a year.

Education and school services

If you have a medical card, you may also be exempt from paying school transport charges and state exam fees in publicly funded second-level schools. You may also get financial help with buying school books in certain schools .

You can read more information about medical cards and GP visit cards . Check if you are eligible for a medical card or GP visit card with the means tests for people aged under 70 and the means test for people aged over 70 .

You can also read about the GP visit card for children aged under 8 and prescription charges for medical card holders .

You can find more information on the medical card and GP visit card on the HSE website. You can find further detail in the HSE Assessment Guidelines for medical cards and GP visit cards .

Related documents

• Under 70s means test for medical card and GP visit card How your income is assessed for the medical card and GP visit card if you are under 70 years of age. 3123.4114
• Prescription charges for medical card holders People with medical cards pay a charge for medicines that they get on prescription from pharmacies. 3098.8625
• GP visit cards Unless you have a medical card or GP visit card, visits to family doctors are not free. What is a GP visit card and how can you apply? 2634.0361

If you have a question about this topic you can contact the Citizens Information Phone Service on 0818 07 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm).

You can also contact your local Citizens Information Centre .

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Free GP visit cards extended to 215,000 people as means-test thresholds rise

Under the change the weekly base eligibility threshold for a single person living alone increases to €361 from €304.

People aged between eight years and 69 can now apply on the HSE website for a means-tested GP visit card. Photograph: iStock

Free GP services are being made available to an additional 215,000 people from today as part of a Government drive to bring up to 500,000 more people into the service this year.

People aged between eight years and 69 can now apply on the HSE website for a means-tested GP visit card.

“We are making significant steps forward in making healthcare affordable for all,” said Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly.

“This expansion of the GP visit card scheme will help people to manage the cost-of-living challenges we face, and I encourage those who may be eligible to apply now.”

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Under the change now in force, the weekly base eligibility threshold for a single person living alone increases to €361 from €304.

The threshold for a single person living with family rises to €322 from €271 and the threshold for a couple with or without dependents rises to €524 from €441.

For couples with dependents a weekly allowance per dependent is added to the threshold. Similarly, the threshold for a one-parent family rises to €524 from €441 and a weekly allowance per dependent is added to the threshold.

The allowance for the first and second child under 16 is €57 and the same allowance for third and further children under 16 is €61.50.

The allowance for the first and second child aged above 16 and financially dependent is €58.50 and the same allowance for third and further children above 16 is €64. There is a €117 allowance for all children aged 16 above who are financially dependent, in third-level education and not grant-aided.

The move to provide more free GP visit cards follows the August expansion of the free GP scheme to include 78,000 children aged six and seven.

As a result of such changes, all children aged under eight and people aged 70 and above are automatically eligible for a GP visit card.

The free GP service will be expanded to include a further 215,000 people in November when the means-test income thresholds increase again.

Arthur Beesley

Arthur Beesley is Current Affairs Editor of The Irish Times

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Visiting a doctor

On this page, enrolling with a general practice, choosing your general practice, what you’ll pay, specialist care, after-hours care, it’s free to enrol.

It’s free to enrol with a general practice – but they may charge a consultation fee each time you go to see them after that.

General practices normally charge a higher fee, often called a casual rate, for patients that aren’t enrolled with their practice.

If you enrol with a general practice, your care will be subsidised – so you’ll pay a reduced consultation fee.

Who can enrol?

General practices can only enrol people who are eligible for publicly funded primary health services. When you enrol, you may be asked to show proof of eligibility – such as your passport or birth certificate. You’ll be asked to sign an enrolment form.

In New Zealand, you can choose the general practice that you visit.

• For a list of practices and their fees, check the website of your local  primary health organisation   (PHO).
• The New Zealand Medical Council   has a register of practising GPs and advice on choosing a doctor.

A general practice may ‘close its books’ if it can’t safely take on any more patients. If this happens, the practice should refer you to their PHO for help with finding another practice. The PHO may put you on a waiting list and arrange for you to get care in the meantime.

Your medical record

Your medical record is kept with the general practice you’re enrolled with, but any health professional involved in your care can look at your record. You can ask to look at your record at any time.

The Privacy Commissioner website has advice on  health privacy .

General practices are private businesses and set their own fees for consultations and other health services. While the fees charged must be within a certain threshold agreed to by Health New Zealand (HNZ) and PHOs, the level of co-payment is determined by the practices.

The cost of a visit will be lower if you’re enrolled with the practice, because the Government subsidises the fee for enrolled patients.

Some general practices join a Very Low Cost Access (VLCA) programme run by their primary health organisation (PHO). This means they get extra Government funding to keep their fees at low levels for all enrolled patients. Most general practices offer zero fee visits for children aged 13 and under, and most non-VLCA practices offer cheaper visits for Community Services Card holders and their dependants.

• For a list of practices and their fees, check the website of your local   PHO .

Zero fees for children aged 13 and under

All children aged 13 and under are eligible for free general practice visits, both during the day and after-hours. Not all general practices provide free visits, so check with your general practice first.

For more information visit   Zero fees for under-14s

Community Services Cards

If you're visiting a general practice where you’re not enrolled, you’ll pay less if you have a Community Services Card.

Community Services Card holders also get cheaper visits at the general practice they’re enrolled with. This also applies to injury-related visits at most practices, which are covered by ACC.

More information is available on the   Work and Income website   or phone   0800 559 009   to see if you’re eligible for a Community Services Card.

If you have a long-term health condition or a terminal illness, you may be eligible for   Care Plus .

General practices get extra Government funding for Care Plus patients, so the practice can provide additional care at no further cost to the patient.

General practices can charge a fee for services provided outside of a consultation, such as a repeat prescription or referral letter to a specialist.

Maternity care

Mothers of babies born in New Zealand are entitled to free essential care during and after their pregnancy. Go to   Services and support during pregnancy   to find out more

Your doctor may refer you to a hospital or specialist doctor for further assessment or diagnosis.

• Specialist care is free through the public health system, but you may go on a waiting list.
• If you want to get specialist advice quickly, you may wish to use a private hospital or specialist. You will have to pay a fee for this, unless you have private health insurance.

Call Healthline for free health advice from registered nurses, 24 hours a day. Phone   0800 611 116 .

General practices are usually open business hours, Monday to Friday. Every practice is required to have arrangements for their patients to receive care outside these hours.

Check with your practice where you should go if you do need care outside working hours. (You might have to visit an after-hours accident and medical clinic or another practice.)

Changing your general practice

When you enrol with a new general practice, you’ll be asked to sign a form so your records can be transferred from your old practice.

• A practice should not refuse to enrol new patients unless they already have too many patients.
• A practice can terminate your enrolment if there is an ‘irreparable breakdown’ in the relationship.

If you wish to make a complaint about the care you get from your general practice, contact the   Health and Disability Commissioner   or the   New Zealand Medical Council .

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• The pages you visit on citizensinformation.ie, and how long you spend on each page
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Under 70s means test for medical card and GP visit card

Introduction, how does the means test work, income assessed, income not assessed, savings and investments assessment, is property assessed, how is self-employment income assessed, allowable expenses, more information.

If you are aged under 70 when you apply for a medical card or GP visit card , the HSE will review your situation and your weekly income to check if you qualify. This may include a review of your financial situation, called a means test.

Your income, savings, investments and property are assessed in the means test, but there are certain exceptions. If you have a spouse or partner, the HSE looks at your combined finances.

Check if you automatically qualify for a medical card, as some people are exempt from the means test . If you are not in one of these groups, your income is reviewed by the HSE and must be below a certain amount to qualify.

This page explains the means test for people aged under 70 – how it is carried out, what income is included and what income is excluded.

Medical cards if you are over 70

People aged over 70 have a different means test assessment for the medical card.

If you do not qualify under the means test for people over 70 you can be assessed under the general means test rules explained here.

GP visit cards

If you are under 70, the way the HSE assesses your financial means is the same for the medical card and for the GP visit card – but the income limits are different.

If your income is above the limit for a medical card, you are automatically assessed by the HSE for the GP visit card which has higher income limits.

You automatically get a GP visit card without a means test if you are either:

• Aged under 8 or over 70
• Get Carer’s Benefit or Carer’s Allowance at full or half-rate

When does the HSE review my finances?

When you apply online, the HSE does a quick review of your finances to check if you might qualify for a medical card or GP visit card . It does a full review of your finances later in the application process when you send them documents to prove your financial situation , for example, payslips.

The HSE has basic rates that vary depending on your age, living situation, marital status and if you have children. If your income is below the HSE basic rate, you will qualify.

The basic rate income limits for the medical card are lower than the limits for the GP visit card .

Your weekly income is your net income. This is your income after tax, PRSI and Universal Social Charge (USC) have been deducted.

If your income is above the HSE’s basic rate, you may still qualify for a medical card or GP visit card after you add extra allowances for children and allowable expenses (see below).

Discretionary medical card

If your finances are still above the qualifying limits for both a medical card and GP visit card the HSE can look at your social and medical situation. They will decide if you would have trouble paying for medical care for you and your family and may provide a medical card. You can read more about discretionary medical cards.

Weekly basic rates for under 70s

Weekly basic rates for under 70s (Gross income less tax, Universal Social Charge and PRSI)

The HSE reviews your weekly income from:

• Wages or earnings (net pay, after you pay tax, PRSI and USC)
• Maintenance payments
• Rental income from property other than the family home, with costs deducted
• Property (other than the family home)
• Interest from capital and savings
• Income from royalties or payments under a settlement, covenant or from an estate

If your only income is from social welfare or HSE payments, you will get a medical card even if your income is over the income limits for your age and situation.

Check the documents you may need.

Some payments from the State are not included:

• HSE payments : Mobility Allowance, Blind Welfare Allowance
• Social welfare payments : Working Family Payment, Child Benefit, Carer's Allowance, Domiciliary Care Allowance, Guardian's Payments; weekly supplements (such as a diet or heating supplement) paid under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme; Fuel, Island, Living Alone and Over 80 Allowances
• Other payments : Third-level educational maintenance grants, Rehabilitation Maintenance Allowance, Foster Care Allowance.

Earnings while on Disability Allowance

If you are getting Disability Allowance and working, income you earn up to €427 per week is not taken into account in the means test for the medical card. This does not affect the means test for Disability Allowance .

When reviewing your income for a medical card or GP visit card , the HSE does not include:

• Compensation payments made by the Residential Institutions Redress Board
• Repayments made under the Health (Repayment) Scheme (that is, the Nursing Home repayment scheme)
• Awards made to people who contracted Hepatitis C or HIV from contaminated blood products (together with income from the investment of that money)
• Ex-gratia payments approved by the Lourdes Hospital Redress Board under the terms of the Lourdes Hospital Redress Scheme 2007
• Compensation awards payable under the Redress for Women in Certain Institutions Act 2015.

Any savings and investments you have are also reviewed by the HSE in the means test for a medical card or GP visit card .

Savings, investments or property up to €36,000 for a single person, or €72,000 for a couple, are disregarded.

Interest on savings or investments over the limit is taken into account in the means test.

This means only the interest or income earned on your savings and investments will be counted as income, not the total value of the savings or investments themselves.

How does the HSE assess interest?

There are different ways the HSE can assess your savings and investments. They can use:

• A Certificate of Interest (usually from your bank) of all your savings, or
• Copies of bank statements showing the current balance on your account or account

If you have stocks or shares, you will need to provide a copy of your current Share Certificates showing shareholdings.

The HSE can also calculate your weekly income from savings and investments using the following rules:

For example, if you are a couple and have €90,000 in savings, any income on the first €72,000 will not be considered.  The income on the next €10,000 will be considered at €1 per €1,000 totalling €10. The balance of €8,000 will be considered at €2 per €1,000 totalling €16.

Check what documents you may need for the HSE to assess your income from savings and investments .

The value of your family home is not included in the medical card and GP visit card means test.

The value of weekly income from other property is reviewed by the HSE.

Check what documents you may need for your property to be assessed by the HSE.

Property that is rented

If you have property that you rent out, the rental income is assessed by the HSE. Rental income can include income from renting a room in your family home, a holiday home, leased land or any other property.

Rental income is assessed after deducting mortgage payments and insurance premiums.

Property that is not rented

If you are aged under 70 and have unused land or buildings that you are not renting, but could be leased or sold, the HSE reviews the value of the property as a savings and investment assessment (above).

If you are aged over 70 , income will not be assessed from any property that is not generating a rental income.

If you are self-employed and applying for a medical card or GP visit card , you will need to provide evidence of all your work, both self-employed and for other employers.

The HSE will review your most recent Income Tax Return Form 11 and all pages of your Notice of Assessment (NOA) from Revenue.

If you are self-employed and your business has been running for less than one year, you need to provide a set of accounts signed off by your accountant.

If you are self-employed and your business has recently stopped trading, you need to provide a self-declaration letter indicating the date you were last self-employed.

Read more about what documents you need for your application as somebody self-employed .

You can also get detailed information from the HSE Medical card and GP Visit Card National Assessment Guidelines (pdf) .

Some living expenses are allowable. This means the HSE will add the cost of certain weekly expenses to your basic rate.

This increases your weekly qualifying financial threshold.

Your qualifying financial threshold is the limit of how much income you can have each week and still qualify for a medical card or GP visit card .

Allowable expenses include:

• Rent (not including any amounts paid by Housing Assistance Payment or Rent Supplement )
• Reasonable mortgage payments on your family home and other land or property
• Mortgage protection insurance and associated life assurance
• Home insurance

Childcare and other caring costs

• Childcare costs
• Maintenance payments you make
• Nursing home, private nursing or home-care costs for you or your spouse

Travel costs

• The cost of public transport
• Driving expenses if a car is required, at a rate of 30 cent per mile/18 cent per km. If a couple needs two cars to travel to work, a double allowance applies.
• Reasonable contributions towards carpooling costs.

Check what documents you need for your expenses to be assessed by the HSE.

You can read more information about medical cards and GP visit cards , including how to apply. If you are over 70 check if you are eligible under the means test for people aged over 70 .

You can also read about the GP visit card for children aged under 8 and prescription charges for medical card holders .

You can find more information on the medical card and GP visit card on the HSE website. You can find further detail in the HSE Assessment Guidelines for medical cards and GP visit cards .

The HSE has information on financial assessment.

Related documents

• Services for medical card and GP visit card holders Family doctors (GPs) provide certain services to medical card and GP visit card holders free of charge. 3482.3242
• GP visit cards for children under 8 Children under 8 are entitled to free visits to participating GPs. Find out how to register for the GP visit card for children. 2936.7617
• Examples of calculating eligibility for GP visit card for under 70s Case study showing how to calculate your income and allowable expenses for a GP visit card if you are aged under 70. 2819.1257

If you have a question about this topic you can contact the Citizens Information Phone Service on 0818 07 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm).

You can also contact your local Citizens Information Centre .

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