gp visit card application online under 6

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GP visit cards

What is a gp visit card, who can get a gp visit card, income limits for people aged under 70, how to apply for a gp visit card, more information on gp visit cards.

A GP visit card is a card that gives you free visits to a participating family doctor (GP). If you are not eligible for a medical card , you may be eligible for a GP visit card.

What does a GP visit card cover?

Your GP visit card covers the cost of visits to your GP and visits to GP out-of-hours services . Blood tests to diagnose or monitor a condition are covered.

The GP visit card does not cover hospital charges . Prescribed drugs are not free but may be covered by the Drugs Payment Scheme .

You can apply for a GP visit card online.

You must be ordinarily resident in Ireland to apply for a GP visit card. This means that you are living in Ireland and intend to live here for at least one year.

You will qualify for a GP visit card with no means test if you are :

• Aged under 8 (see GP visit cards for children )

Aged over 70

• Getting Carer’s Benefit or Carer’s Allowance , at full or half-rate

If you are aged under 70, your income is assessed by the HSE to see whether you qualify for a GP visit card. See below for information about the HSE basic rates of income.

Your income is assessed by the HSE using the means test for people aged under 70 . However, the basic rates of income for the GP visit card are higher than the limits for the medical card.

Your weekly net income is compared to the HSE's weekly basic rate of income . This is your income after tax, PRSI and universal social charge (USC) have been deducted. There are extra allowances for children.

If your income is above the weekly basic rate you may still qualify for a GP visit card after you include allowable expenses such as childcare and rent (see ‘Allowable expenses’ below).

The weekly basic rates of income increased on 11 September 2023 and again on 13 November 2023. If you were not eligible in the past, you may be eligible now.

Allowable expenses

Some living expenses are allowable. This means they increase your weekly basic rate of income.

Allowable expenses include:

• Childcare costs
• 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.
• Maintenance payments you make.
• Nursing home, private nursing or home care costs for you or your spouse.
• 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. The cost of parking can be taken into account.
• Reasonable contributions towards carpooling costs.

See examples of how you or your family’s income is calculated when you apply for a GP visit card.

Read the HSE National Assessment Guidelines for medical card and GP visit card (pdf) . You can also find a list of the documents you need to support your application.

Aged over 70 with dependants

If you are aged over 70, you are eligible for a GP visit card regardless of your income.

If you are over 70 and you have dependants who are aged under 70, for example, a spouse or partner your dependants may qualify for a GP visit card if your combined gross income is over €1050, but not greater than €1,400 a week.

If either of you are aged over 70, you will both qualify for a full medical card if your combined gross income is €1050 or less per week.

Finances over the qualifying financial threshold

When you apply for a GP visit card, the HSE will first assess your application for a medical card . If you don't qualify for a medical card, you will then be assessed for a GP visit card.

If your finances are over the qualifying financial threshold for a medical card or GP visit card, you may still qualify for a discretionary medical card if your medical expenses would cause you financial hardship without one.

If you want to apply for a discretionary medical card , you should also include information about your family’s medical expenses in your application.

Aged under 70

If you are under 70, you use the same application process to apply for a GP visit card as for a medical card . So, as part of the application process for the GP visit card, your entitlement to a medical card is automatically assessed.

You can apply for a medical card or GP visit card online on medicalcard.ie

You can also download an application form for the GP visit card and medical card (pdf) and email it to [email protected] or post it to:

National Medical Card Unit,

PO Box 11745,

If you are aged 70 or over, you can register for your GP visit card online .

You can also download the registration form for people aged 70 and over (pdf) and email it to [email protected] or post it to:

GP Visit Card Over 70s,

PO Box 12629,

You can also call 0818 22 44 78 to ask for a paper registration form.

Application for a spouse or partner

If you are over 70, with a dependant spouse or partner who is under 70, and you think your finances may be under the qualifying financial threshold, you can apply for GP visit cards for both of you. To do this, you use the standard medical card/GP visit card application form (pdf) and include details of your income and allowable expenses. (For the HSE weekly basic income rates, see ‘Dependants of people aged over 70’ above).

Applying if you are a carer

If you get Carer’s Benefit or Carer’s Allowance, at full or half-rate, you are eligible for a GP visit card. You can register for the GP visit card for carers by email or post .

Appealing your GP visit card application

If your application for a GP visit card is refused, you will receive a letter from the HSE to let you know. The letter will also set out the reasons why your application has been refused.

If you are not satisfied with the decision, you may have it reviewed. Your circumstances may have changed, or you may have left out some relevant information from the original application.

If you are not satisfied with the review, you can make an appeal to the Appeals Office of your HSE Area . You can also find the contact details for the Appeals Office in the letter of refusal from the HSE.

The Appeals Office will conduct a reassessment of your application. This will be conducted by HSE staff who were not involved in deciding on your original application.

Your entitlement to a GP visit card is reviewed periodically by the HSE. This is because your circumstances may change. If you don’t return your review form, your GP visit card may not be re-issued.

If you return your review form by the given date but the review process continues past the expiry date of your card, the HSE may extend your card’s validity so that you can continue to use it while the review is taking place. The extension is on a month-by-month basis, so it is advisable to contact the HSE Client Registration Unit (contact details below) to confirm that your card has been extended and continues to be valid.

Check the status of your application for a GP visit card on the HSE website . You will need the reference number from your application.

You can check if your GP visit card is still valid on the HSE website.

Contact Lo-call 0818 22 44 78 or your Local Health Office for more information on GP visit cards. You can also contact the Client Registration Unit.

Client Registration Unit

4th Floor HSE PCRS Finglas Dublin 11

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. 3246.692
• 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. 2988.6863
• 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. 2761.646

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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• The PPS number of the child or children you wish to register. What's a PPS Number?
• If you do not have a PPS number and your baby is under four months of age, you can register by leaving the PPS number blank. If you leave the PPS number blank, the HSE will write to you separately to acquire the PPS number.
• The PPS number of the child's parent or guardian.
• Your email address.

Free GP visit cards: How to apply as six and seven year olds become eligible

The plans to grant six and seven year olds free GP visit cards, which were laid out in Budget 2023, were targeted for the beginning of April and will grant wider access to free healthcare

• 11:15, 3 APR 2023

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Many children aged six and seven can now go to the GP free of charge following the expansion of visitor cards.

The changes were deadlined for the beginning of April and will benefit thousands of eligible children. The budget plans also allow for households with a median income of less than €46,000 to access free GP healthcare .

Kids under the age of six are already entitled to free GP appointments, as well as home visits and out of hours urgent care. You can ensure your child won't miss out on the scheme by following several steps.

READ MORE : Cost of living: Barnardos say parents can't see 'way out' amid current crisis

If a child is already in receipt of a medical card, they won't need to apply for the new scheme. Here are some details about how to get a card.

How can I apply for the free card?

Parents will need their child's PPS number in order to get access to a card, as well as their choice of participating GPs. It's worth noting that not all GPs will take part in the scheme- a list of clinics who accept free visit cards is available here .

This list will also tell you whether a participating GP accepts online registrations. If they do, applications can be made online via the HSE's website .

Previously, paper applications for children aged under six could be made by downloading a form from an online link. Parents or other applicants need their GP's signature on the form before sending it to GP Visit Card – Under 6s, PO Box 12629, Dublin 11. The same format may apply as access for six and seven year olds gets underway.

What groups are eligible for a free GP visit card ?

There are other cohorts besides children that are entitled to a free GP visit card. Anyone aged over 70 can participate in the scheme, without an income test applying.

For those aged under 70, income assessment determines a person's eligibility. The weekly income limits for those considering a free GP visit card are listed below.

If someone is aged over 70 with dependants below the age threshold, their dependants may also qualify for the scheme. This is dependant on a family's income levels.

People on the Carer's Allowance, either at full or half rate, are entitled to a free GP visit card. Further information on getting access to a free card is available online .

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Always call 999 first in the case of an accident or medical emergency when a person is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk. In a situation where you think someone may be having a heart attack or stroke, call 999 immediately.

If you feel that a GP is required for emergency care please call the surgery on +353 21 4772717 or outside surgery hours contact the SouthDoc out-of-hours GP service on 1850 335 999

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GP Visit Card for Children Under 6

Registration.

We currently hold a contract with the HSE for all doctors at the surgery to provide free GP care for children under 6 years. If your child or children does not have a Medical Card or GP Visit Card you will need to register them for this scheme.

You can register online* at www.gpvisitcard.ie or alternatively you may collect an application form from the surgery.  In order to register, you will need your own PPS number and that of the child, together with your contact details.

Once the registration of your child or children is complete a GP Visit Card for children under 6, will be posted to the address provided for each eligible child, usually within a few days.

(*If you are experiencing any difficulty with the online registration process or do not have access to the internet, please contact the surgery and a member of staff will be happy to help.)  

Services Available 

The GP Visit Card Under 6s entitles your child to free GP visits, assessments at age 2 and 5 and care for children with asthma.The assessments at age 2 and 5 are age based preventive checks focused on health and wellbeing and prevention of disease.  These checks include recording weight and height measurements and, where appropriate, health promotion advice may be given or referral to specialist services may be suggested.

Asthma checks are also included under the scheme and each asthma check involves the recording of the severity of the child’s asthma and review of medications as well as ensuring that the child is using inhalers correctly.

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GP Visit Card Under 6 Application Form

Children under the age of 6 are entitled to free visits to participating GPs, including Hazelhill Family Practice.

The card also allows for free visits to the GP for children up to the age of 6 and also covers specific assessment at ages 2 and 5. Care for children with asthma is also covered.  

The specific assessments are preventative checks that include charting a child’s age, weight and height and then taking appropriate follow up action.  

The asthma checks asses a child’s asthma and review their medications, for example checking to ensure the child is using their inhaler correctly. 

If you would like to apply for a GP Visit Card Under 6, you can download the application form here.

Application form to apply for a GP Visit Card for children under 6 years of age. This process is administered by the HSE. Details outlining how to submit your application are included on the form.

Free GP care for children aged six and seven from today

Parents of children under the age of eight can now register for free gp visit cards.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly says the expansion of free GP care to six- and seven-year-olds will benefit about 78,000 children. Photograph: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie

Parents can register children aged six and seven for free GP care from today, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has announced.

The GP visit cards are now available for all children aged under eight, in the first stage of an expansion of free GP care which will ultimately add 500,000 people to the scheme.

It will be followed by the expansion of free GP care to people earning up to the median income in September and November.

“I am delighted to announce that registrations for children aged 6 and 7 for the expanded Under 8s GP Visit Card scheme will open today, while current GP visit cards will be automatically extended until a child’s 8th birthday,” Mr Donnelly said.

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“This expansion will provide free GP care to approximately 78,000 children aged 6 and 7 across Ireland who currently access GP care on a private basis.

“This will ensure that cost is not a barrier to accessing healthcare and provides vital support to families dealing with cost of living challenges. The move is an important step towards universal healthcare.”

Any child who turned six since July 1st will have their card automatically extended, and other parents can register on hse.ie .

A child must be registered and have their card before availing of the free appointments.

Increases of up to 10 per cent in the capitation grant paid to GPs for existing medical card holders, along with €30 million to help them recruit extra staff and €2 million for out-of-hours services, helped get the deal over the line with the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO).

It was announced in Budget 2023 but was delayed by opposition from GPs, who said they would be unable to cope with the additional workload. Long-running talks with the IMO were completed in June.

The measures, projected last year to cost €111 million, now have a pricetag of €130 million.

Sarah Burns

Sarah Burns is a reporter for The Irish Times

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Eligibility for GP visit cards expanded for people aged up to 69 and children aged 8 and over

THE MINISTER FOR Health Stephen Donnelly has announced an expansion of GP Visit Card eligibility. 

From next month, people aged up to 69 and parents of children aged 8 and up will be able to apply for a means-tested GP Visit Card online.

The means test assessment will consider a person’s or family’s circumstances, income and expenses in order to determine whether they are eligible for a card. 

The online application system will open on a staggered basis in order to cope with demand. The first round of applications will open on 11 September and the second will open on 13 November.

People can apply on the HSE website . 

Announcing the expansion in Finglas today, Donnelly said: “For the first time in the history of our State, over half the population will have access to free GP care.

“It’s been targeted very carefully based on median income, and then universality for children. There are a lot of families out there who up until now have not qualified for a medical card, they haven’t qualified for the GP card, and they really can’t afford the fees,” he said.

He said people feel that they “have not had the choice to go to the GP” due to the cost involved, adding that “that is not something we want to see”.

“We want to see everyone able to access their doctor or their local nurse in a GP practice when they need it or when their child needs it, and that really is the group of people that this is focused on.”

Registration for free GP care for children aged six and seven opened earlier this month. Children under 6 years of age have been eligible for GP Visit Cards since 2015.

Donnelly also said that he will not be pushing for further expansion of free GP care in the upcoming Budget. 

He said he believes the Government has “pushed that as far as it can be pushed” without creating problems with accessing services for patients. 

 The free care scheme has been controversial with GP groups. Earlier this year, the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP)  warned that if more people become medical card holders, they will struggle to get an appointment .

Speaking to reporters, the Minister said the Government had committed to an expansion of the service for children under 12, but said that it did not have a commitment up to the median income.

“We’re doing some of the journey up to the under 12s, that is still government policy, so six and sevens obviously in the last few weeks, and then an additional 430,000 up to the median income,” he said.

“The GPS raised very legitimate concerns in terms of making sure that patients could get access, and the capacity of general practice to absorb this extra demand, which inevitably will follow.

“So I believe that we have pushed that as far as it can be pushed without creating other problems for all of the other patients in terms of access… I’m not anticipating nor will I be asking government for a further expansion in this coming Budget.”

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