There is no universal health insurance or compulsory hospital insurance. Instead, you either have to take out private insurance or register with the public healthcare system. The Irish health authority is called the HSE.
The public healthcare system provides basic care for all residents of Ireland and includes access to general practitioners, specialists and nursing staff. However, there are often long waiting times for appointments, and if you do not have a so-called ‘medical card’, you usually have to pay for treatment yourself. For this reason, many people choose to take out private health insurance in order to gain faster access to specialist doctors and treatments.
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Overview of private health insurance companies
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Finding a GP
At present, finding a general practitioner who is accepting new patients can be difficult, as most doctors are fully booked. You can search for general practitioners here. If you have been rejected by three general practitioners, you can contact the HSE and they will assign you a general practitioner.
Medical Card Benefits
Usually a medical card covers the following services:
- Free GP visits
- Prescription medication (flat fee applies)
- Hospital stays
- Some dental and eye appointments
- Pregnancy and newborn care
- Short-term therapeutic treatment of moderate psychological disorders
Applying for a Medical Card
Anyone who has lived in Ireland for at least one year, or plans to live here for one year, can apply for a Medical Card. You can obtain a Medical Card if your weekly income is below a certain amount*, or if you are still insured in Germany, for example through the health insurance contribution deducted from your German pension.
The quickest way to apply for a medical card is online, here!
It should be noted that, in addition to payslips/pension statements/proof of income, bank statements must also be submitted.
The bank statements must show the last 12 months‘ income and must be dated no more than 3 months ago.
You can also apply for a Medical Card by post or email. To do so, print out the form below and send it to the address listed on it.
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GP Visit Card
If you are not eligible for a Medical Card, you have the option of obtaining a GP Visit Card. This covers visits to your general practitioner, but not the other services that are paid for with a Medical Card. When applying for a Medical Card, you automatically apply for a GP Visit Card if you are not eligible for a Medical Card.
GP Visit Card for children under 8
All children under the age of 8 living in Ireland are entitled to a GP Visit Card. This covers the costs of visits to the family doctor, home visits by the family doctor, emergency treatment outside the family doctor’s office hours and asthma treatment. The GP Visit Card can be applied for online here, or by sending the form below by post to the address listed on the application form or by email to: pcrs.applications@hse.ie.
Here you can check whether your family doctor is currently accepting children under the age of 8. Overview!
*The weekly income limit is calculated based on various factors, such as age and number of family members. For example, the weekly income for people under 66 who live alone must be less than €185 in order to be eligible for a medical card. In addition, real estate (but not your own home) and investments and savings are also taken into account. The amount that is not taken into account is €36,000. For two people living together, this allowance is €72,000. Further calculation bases can be viewed here: For people under 70 or for people over 70.
Overview of private health insurance companies
There are four private health insurance companies in Ireland:
Click on the respective link to access the official website of the health insurance company and get an overview of its services and offers.
Deutsche in Irland 