Entitlement to health services is primarily based on residency and means. Any person, regardless of nationality, who is accepted by the Health Service Executive (HSE) as being ordinarily resident in Ireland is entitled to either full eligibility (Category 1) or limited eligibility (Category 2) for health services.

Category 1: Medical Card holders – If you have a medical card, you are entitled to:
• free GP services
• prescribed drugs and medicines, subject to a charge per item prescribed
• public hospital services
• dental, optical and aural services
• maternity and infant care services
• a range of community care and personal social services.

Note! There is free G.P care in Ireland for children under 6 and people over 70 years of age, regardless of whether or not they are Medical Card holders

Additional Information on means testing requirements and the application process for a Medical Card can be found HERE

Category 2: Non-Medical Card holders
If you do not have a medical card, you are entitled to:
Free public hospital services but you may have to pay in-patient and out-patient hospital charges.
You are also entitled to subsidised prescribed drugs and medicines and maternity and infant care services and you may be entitled to free or subsidised community care and personal social services.
Unless you hold a GP Visit Card, you are not entitled to free GP services. (Exemptions in relation to children under 6yrs and people over 70 years of age)
You may be entitled to some community care and personal social services.
Full information on entitlement to Heath Care in Ireland can be found HERE

Under the Drugs Payment Scheme, you /your household will not pay more than €124 for all your prescribed approved medication each calendar month. This maximum amount is subject to review by the Government from time to time. You must present your card each time you attend the pharmacy before a prescription can be dispensed.

There are a number of items that legally do not require a prescription but for inclusion under the scheme they do require a doctor’s prescription.

Only those on the long term illness scheme are exempt from prescription charges. Everyone else (even Medical Card holders) must pay the relevant charge per item prescribed. Click the link for more information on prescription charges. 

You can take out insurance if you become a resident of Ireland. You may, however, have to serve a waiting period. If you are an EU national and you become ill or have an accident during a visit to any EU country you can get free or reduced cost healthcare on production of a European Health Insurance Card. You can obtain this card from your country of usual residence.

Yes. All applicants for private health insurance cover must be accepted by a private health insurer, regardless of their health status or age. However waiting periods may apply before benefits can be claimed.

For more information on private health insurance in
Ireland, please see HERE.

The Nursing Home Support Scheme (known as Fair Deal) provides financial support to people who need long term nursing home care.

Under this scheme, the applicant makes a contribution towards the cost of their care and the State pays the balance. The scheme covers approved private nursing homes, voluntary nursing homes and public nursing homes. Anyone who is ordinarily resident in the State and is assessed as needing long-term nursing home care can apply for the scheme. However, this is a very complex subject. Realistically the options for returning emigrants accessing this scheme will be limited and may have to be assessed on a ‘test case’ basis.

For a full overview of the Nursing Home Support Scheme and the application
process, please see: www.hse.ie/nhss/