Children under 18 who have been diagnosed with cancer will be issued with a medical cards for five years.
The change will apply automatically from tomorrow, July 1st, according to Fine Gael Senator Colm Burke and TD Mary Mitchell O'Connor.
On a support page for Lucy O'Connor - a nine-year-old girl who was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer in September 2014, and was refused a medical card until February this year - her family writes "one of the positives of going public, with Lucy's story, is that from July 1st 2015, all children under 18, diagnosed with cancer in Ireland, will receive a medical card for 5 years."
"Delighted that no other family will have to go public with their story. In saying that, the support from you all has been amazing, so thank you," the post adds.
Delighted that going public with Lucy's story, while has been v difficult, hopefully no one else will #IsupportLucy https://t.co/3T479XiN71
— ✨Ange✨ (@AngeCMJ) June 30, 2015
Minister for Primary Care, Kathleen Lynch, says it is a key recommendation of the Clinical Advisory Group which was set up to look at medical card eligibility.
Deputy Lynch said, “this decision is welcome. It is in line with the more compassionate approach that we have adopted towards awarding discretionary medical cards.
"I support it and look forward to the HSE implementing it in an efficient and sensitive manner," she adds.
The free GP care for children under six scheme is also set to commence tomorrow.
