The Health Services Executive (HSE) gives a medical card to people who are ordinarily resident in Ireland but can’t afford to pay for health services. With a medical card, you can get the following services free of charge:

• Your visits to a General Practitioner (family doctor)
• Prescribed drugs and medicines, subject to a small charge for each item prescribed
• Public hospital services
• Some dental, optical, and aural services
• Maternity and infant care services
• Community care and personal social services such as public health nursing, home help, physiotherapy, chiropody, and respite care.

You can apply for a medical card once you have lived here for more than one year. The HSE will consider your application and may do an income test before deciding on your eligibility for a medical card.

If the HSE provides you with a medical card, all of your dependents will be covered too.

Please see the Frequently Asked Questions page for details on how to apply for a medical card.

If your income is too high for you to qualify for a medical card, you may still qualify for a GP Visit Card.

A GP Visit Card provides you with unlimited visits to a GP. If you need other health services, you may need to pay a small fee.

Anyone under the age of 8 or over the age of 70 is entitled to a GP Visit Card regardless of income.