The Government has granted a two-month extension to persons over 70 who were set to lose their medical cards in January.

It is the latest in a string of U-turns and changes to the controversial plan announced in the budget in October.

Under the original plan, the Government announced it was ending the age group’s automatic entitlement to the medical card and reintroducing a means test from January 1 next.

However, following a huge outcry from the public and Fianna Fáil backbenchers, the Government changed the eligibility criteria so that a greater number of over-70s would be entitled to a card once the means test was reintroduced.

It has now announced that the new system won’t take effect until Monday, March 2, of next year.

The Government said this was to afford those who are set to lose their cards more time to make preparations.

A spokesman for Health Minister Mary Harney last night said that legislation to remove the automatic entitlement and reintroduce the means test would be passed by the Oireachtas before Christmas.

The thresholds will be set at gross income of €700 a week for a single person and €1,400 for a couple. Anybody earning above those thresholds will not qualify for a card.

However, while all applicants for a medical card will face a means test, there will be no means testing of the existing card holders.

Instead, they will be asked to voluntarily inform the Health Service Executive from March 2 onwards that they are over the income thresholds and will then face losing their cards. 

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