Registrations have opened today for the new under 8s GP visit card scheme. This is being expanded from the current scheme which covered the under 6s.

 

This is the largest expansion Ireland has seen in terms of free GP eligibility with 500,000 people entitled to a free GP visit by the end of the year.

 

From Friday, August 11, parents can register their 6 and 7 year olds for the scheme.Those who turned 6 after July 1 will  have their cards automatically renewed by the HSE. There are some 78,000 6 and 7 year olds who are entitled to join.

 

The expansion of free GP services to 6 and 7 year olds is part of a general expansion of services agreed by the Department of Health, the HSE and the Irish Medical Organisation last month. New income eligibility criteria will come into force later in the year which will bring 430,000 extra adults on the median income into the free GP scheme.