The private system is privately funded. If you opt to pay for private health insurance you can avail of this system. This means that you can be treated in private hospitals that public patients wouldn’t have access to, or in private beds in public hospitals which are leased by insurance companies. Generally, you will not have to wait for operations, scans, etc., and have a choice in where you will be treated. The main insurance companies operating in Ireland are BUPA, VHI and VIVAS. The cost of basic health insurance for one year starts at around €286 and is tax deductible. Some complimentary therapies such as acupuncture, homeopathy and osteopathy are partially paid for as well.

In the public system people are divided into two levels of entitlement:

Category 1 (medical-card holder): You are over 65 years of age and automatically entitled to a medical card or you have been assessed by the Health Board who has decided that your income is below a certain amount.

 What am I entitled to?
You are entitled to all health services for free (but you may have to wait!!). Doctor, dentist, optician visits and aural (ear) services are free. Glasses, hearing aids, dentures, medicines are also free. Hospital visits, operations, scans, maternity and infant care services are also included.

Category 2 (non medical-card holder): Everyone else is automatically put into this category.

What am I entitled to?
All hospital services in public wards and out-patient services are free but subject to certain charges!! I.e., if you have to visit the accident and emergency department (A&E) you will have to pay €60 if you haven’t been referred there by your doctor. However, if you visit A&E again for the same illness, you will not have to pay again. If you have to stay over night in hospital, the cost is 60 euro per day up to a maximum of 600 euro in the year. Medicines, glasses, visits to the doctor, dentist, optician and aural services have to be paid for by you. You may be entitled to an occasional dentist visit, if you have been working continuously for two years- check with your dentist and give them your PRSI number. Maternity and infant care services are free during the pregnancy and up to six weeks after the birth.

Children are considered to be dependants of their parents and are put into the same category as them. There are specific free services for children when they are attending school, regardless of their parents’ eligibility, i.e. free glasses, eye tests, health checks, hearing aids and vaccinations etc.

There are also some schemes to help Category 2 people who have unusually high medical costs. These include:

The long term illness scheme – people suffering with a couple of illnesses can get their medication for free.

The drugs payment scheme – a person and his/her dependants will not have to pay more than €78 per month for their medicines. If the medicines cost more than that, the Health Board pays the extra amount.

GP visit cards – GP (general practitioner/doctor) visits generally cost between €40 and €50. The GP visit card entitles some people with ongoing health conditions, i.e. diabetes, asthma etc., to visit their doctor for free. You can apply for a card through the local Health Office. In Cork this office is the South Lee Local Health Office, George’s Quay in Abbeycourt House. Tel: 021 4965511.

For more information on these and other schemes check out: www. oasis.gov.ie

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

I am not an Irish citizen. What am I entitled to?
If you are: 1) From another EU/EEA (European economic area) country.
                  2) A refugee or stateless person, living here temporarily.
                  3) From outside the EU and legally resident here.
                  4) Receiving unemployment benefit.
You are entitled to all medical treatment and health services for free.

I am a not an EU/EEA citizen. What am I entitled to?
If you are considered to be “ordinarily resident” in Ireland, you will have the same entitlements as an Irish citizen. You have to prove to the health board that you will remain in Ireland for the minimum of one year. Examples of this proof include : proof of property rental or purchase, evidence of transfer of funds, bank accounts, pensions, a Certificate of Registration of an Alien, work permits/visa, statements from your employer or a signed affidavit.

I am from another EU/EEA country. I’m only staying here temporarily. What am I entitled to?
You are entitled to free health care which is a medical necessity when you produce your European Health Insurance Card or the equivalent form.

I am an Australian citizen. What is my entitlement?
You are entitled to the same benefits as a Category 2 person. See above.

For more Q&A’s and health service information, check out: www.dohc.ie/public/information/entitlements