Almost 3,000 additional people qualified for a medical card in Clare this month compared to the same time last year.
The latest figures from the HSE show that nearly 42,000 were in possession of a medical card in the Banner county this February.
There were a total of 41,982 medical card holders in Clare this month.
This is a 7% rise on the 39,095 who were in possession of the card last February.
Over 7,300, or 17%, of the total number of medical card holders in this county are aged 75 and over.
The second largest cohort are those between the ages of 45 and 54 – with almost 5,000 people falling into this category.
18% more women than men in the Banner are in possession of a medical card.
Meanwhile, over 12,300 people in the county are in possession of a GP visit card – meaning that in total that 54,310 can receive free GP care in Clare.
