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Other health schemes you can use with or instead of a Medical Card

If you do not qualify for a Medical Card, or if you already have one but still find some health costs high, there are other HSE schemes that may help with medicine and treatment costs.
These schemes can sometimes lower what you pay, even if you do not meet Medical Card limits.

Use this topic if you or someone you support wants to:
  • Find ways to reduce medicine costs without a Medical Card
  • Understand how the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS) works
  • See when the Long-Term Illness (LTI) Scheme can help
  • Learn about special HSE cards for particular groups
  • Check how these schemes can work alongside a Medical Card or GP Visit Card

Important

These schemes do not replace a Medical Card. Each has its own rules, card and limits, but they can still reduce what you pay.

Before you compare schemes

It can help to have:

  • Your PPS number

  • Information about your medicines

  • A list of your regular medicines and how often you collect them

  • Any letters or cards you already have from the HSE about health schemes

  • Information about your costs

  • A rough idea of your monthly medicine and health costs

If you are unsure where to start, you can ask your pharmacist, GP or a Citizens Information Centre to talk through these schemes with you.

Steps

Step 1. Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS)

The Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS) can help if you have high medicine costs but no Medical Card.

Key points:

  • DPS sets a monthly limit on what your household pays for approved:
  • Prescription medicines
  • Certain medical appliances and supplies
  • Once you reach that limit in a calendar month, approved items for the rest of that month are covered by the scheme.
  • DPS is not income-tested. It is mainly for people who do not have a Medical Card.

To use DPS, you normally need to:

  1. Apply for a DPS card for yourself or your family (for example through your pharmacy or HSE forms).
  2. Use the same details (name, address, PPS number) each time you get medicines so they are linked to your DPS record.
  3. Keep receipts for all medicine charges during the month.

Remember

  • DPS does not cover GP visits, dental, eye or hospital charges.
  • It also does not count as a Medical Card, even though it reduces medicine costs.

If you already have a Medical Card, you usually do not need DPS, as your card has its own rules for prescription charges.

Step 2. Long-Term Illness (LTI) Scheme

The Long-Term Illness (LTI) Scheme covers the cost of medicines and certain items for specific long-term conditions, even if your income is above Medical Card limits.

Typical points:

  • The scheme is for named illnesses only. for example certain forms of diabetes, epilepsy and some other long-term conditions listed on the HSE’s qualifying illness list.
  • It covers approved medicines, syringes and related items needed to treat the qualifying illness.
  • It does not cover GP visits, hospital charges or medicines for other conditions.

To apply, you usually:

  1. Talk to your GP or consultant about whether your condition is on the LTI list.
  2. Ask them to help you complete the LTI application form for the HSE.
  3. If approved, you receive an LTI card to show at the pharmacy when collecting medicines related to that illness.

You can have an LTI card as well as:

  • A Medical Card, or
  • A GP Visit Card, or
  • No other card at all

Each card or scheme will have its own role in covering your costs.

Step 3. Special HSE cards and schemes for particular groups

There are other special schemes or cards run by the HSE for certain groups of people. Examples include:

  • Health (Amendment) Act (HAA) card

    • For people who contracted Hepatitis C directly or indirectly from blood or blood products within the State.
    • Gives access to specific health services linked to that history.

  • Hospital or clinic-based supports

    • For some high-cost or specialist medicines, your hospital consultant or clinic may arrange supply through a hospital pharmacy under a particular scheme.
    • You may still pay standard public hospital charges, unless you have a Medical Card.

  • Other condition-specific supports

    • In some cases, charities or disease-specific programmes may help with equipment or travel costs.
    • Your hospital social worker, GP or a Citizens Information Centre can tell you what is available for your condition.

These schemes are not general-purpose Medical Cards. They are tied to particular medical histories or treatment plans.

Step 4. How these schemes work with a Medical Card or GP Visit Card

If you already have a Medical Card:

  • The Medical Card is usually your main card for GP visits, many medicines and some other services.
  • You may also have:
  • An LTI card for a particular illness, or
  • A card or letter for a specialist hospital scheme

In practice:

  • At the pharmacy, staff will decide which card or scheme gives you the best cover for each item.
  • At the GP, dentist or clinic, you should still show your Medical Card first, then any other relevant card.
  • If you are not sure which scheme should be used, you can ask staff to check your options with you.

If you do not have a Medical Card, combining:

  • DPS, and
  • LTI or other specialist schemes

may still give significant help with medicine costs, even though you still pay GP and many other charges yourself.

Always ask any staff member you speak to:

  • “Does this scheme replace a Medical Card?”
  • “If I later get a Medical Card, can I still keep this scheme as well?”

What to do next

If you:

  • Do not qualify for a Medical Card but have regular medicine costs, or
  • Already have a card but are unsure whether another scheme could help,

you can:

  • Bring a list of your regular medicines and costs to your pharmacist and ask which schemes might reduce them
  • Talk to your GP or hospital team about whether your condition qualifies for the LTI Scheme or a special HSE card
  • Contact your Local Health Office or the Medical Card office named on your letters
  • Ask a Citizens Information Centre to help you compare schemes and understand how they fit together

You do not have to map this out on your own.
Staff in pharmacies, the HSE and Citizens Information see these schemes every day and can help you decide which ones to apply for.