Nearly 500 more families in Clare have qualified for a medical card this year.
Figures from the HSE show that over 37,000 families in the banner hold a medical card.
Over 40,000 individuals in Clare were eligible for a medical card this May.
Of those, 37,009 families qualified for the scheme.
This compares to the 36,517 families in Clare who benefitted from a medical card in May of 2021.
The number of people who hold a GP visit card increased marginally, with 11,970 individuals entitled to free GP care last May, compared to 12,008 people this May.
All children under 6 are entitled to a free GP Visit Card, and 5,068 children in the Banner could avail of this benefit last month.
Similarly, all over 70’s are eligible for a GP Visit Card without an income means test and there were 3,853 people in this category in the county last month.
Finally, there were 752 minors under the age of 16 able to access a medical card in Clare under the domicilary care allowance scheme.
