Medical card changes for over 70s

Minister for Health Simon Harris has announced that 390,000 people over 70 years with a medical card, including their dependants, will benefit from reductions to prescription charges.

From this Wednesday, prescription charges will be reduced from €2.50 to €2 per item and in addition the maximum monthly limit will be reduced from €25 to €20 per person or family per month. These changes will benefit over 390,000 medical card holders, advancing a key Programme for Government commitment to reduce the cost of medicines for medical card holders.

Commenting on move, Minister Harris said,“I am very pleased to be in a position to announce its immediate effect. Naturally as we grow older, we require more medical help and assistance and from tomorrow, 390,000 of our older friends and family will pay less for their medicines”.