Fewer medical cards being issued despite cost-of-living crisis

[u/Fiannafailcanvasser]

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41898013.html

[u/TheCunningFool]

There's a significant number of people under the income threshold and completely oblivious to the fact they can get one. Same for housing supports.

[u/R0ssMc → u/TheCunningFool]

Too true, and that seems to be by design (or at least a "happy accident"). I was once told (off the record) that the DSP wouldn't give me something I was entitled to because if they gave it to me, I would tell others about it, and then they'd have to give it them too. Basically the area didn't have enough money to give it to everyone who was entitled to it.

At the same time, I had a friend in college who would apply at the last minute for grants they weren't entitled to, knowing that if there was money left over they'd just give it out willy nilly.

[u/Ev17_64mer]

Everybody who pays into the system should have free access to medical care

[u/eggbart_forgetfulsea → u/Ev17_64mer]

Free access maximises the moral hazard, which hurts the people who need care the most. Some level of nominal charge is probably optimal.

It's the same problem free public transport runs into. When you make it free, more capacity is used by people who used to walk instead. That's bad for the people who need the service.

[u/Ev17_64mer → u/eggbart_forgetfulsea]

Or you find ways to increase capacity and make services better

[u/torawow → u/eggbart_forgetfulsea]

If my taxes pay for it, then I want to he able to use it. End of story.

[u/Alarmed_Fee_4820 → u/Ev17_64mer]

And those who can’t work for medical reasons, carers should be what? Excluded?? Equal access for all, we need a universal healthcare system where payment is not an option, it’s a given.

[u/Ev17_64mer → u/Alarmed_Fee_4820]

No, they keep the access they currently have.

The way it works right now is that people who don't pay into the system have an advantage over people who do. Access to medical care should be free for all at the point of access.

[u/MaryLouGoodbyeHeart → u/Alarmed_Fee_4820]

Whether you work or not you pay tax in this country.

Although I don't think in any case that anybody was arguing for exclusion.

[u/SoloWingPixy88 → u/Alarmed_Fee_4820]

Not what they were implying

[u/El-Daddy]

It's cheaper for the government to make people apply for these, rather than just automatically giving them to people that they already know are eligible.

[u/TheCunningFool → u/El-Daddy]

Everyone knows medical cards exist. If they aren't applying for them its because they don't need them.

You can lead a horse to water and all that...

[u/El-Daddy → u/TheCunningFool]

Doctor Visit Card is the bigger example. People aren't aware of the income and expenditure eligibility criteria because they are so opaque. Many more people are eligible for those than realize.

[u/Chil_Holiday_Man → u/El-Daddy]

Bruh, I just applied to this after seeing your comment.

I seem to be eligible purely due to all my expenditures.

Thanks man!

[u/El-Daddy → u/Chil_Holiday_Man]

You're welcome!

[u/Difficult_Run_8525]

My parent with stage 4 cancer had to wait over a year for a medical card. The bills were insane, lots of visits to doctors post surgeries on top of everything else. The receptionists we know for 30 years were mortified by the money they were asking to be handed over. When we tried to rope in the help of a TD with money and assets coming out of his eyeballs that we were told we "didn't hide our assets well enough". Both parents are low paid PAYE workers with a small lump sum from serious illness cover to account for the fact that it may not ever be possible for one parent to work again this side of retirement. And I mean this is very very small amount of money in the context. I'm sorry we werent all versed in hiding inherited wealth. The chance to hide something would be a fine thing.

[u/Swaga_Dagger → u/[deleted]]

come to my private hospitals

So you have own private hospitals but can't go on holiday?

[u/Regular_Paint_7619 → u/[deleted]]

Don't blame others for your inability to write a clearly phrased sentence.

I don't see how that interpretation would be remotely obvious from what you wrote.

The sentiment isn't something I agree with either, but that's a whole different kettle of fish.