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 once you live in Ireland and plan to live here for at least 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.