Cover for medical expenses

Children are some of the heaviest users of both primary and hospital healthcare

services (Saxena et al., 1999; O’Cathain et al., 2007). Whilst GP care is now free for

children up to the age of 8, the cost of other healthcare services in the Irish system

means that many children who require medical attention may not receive this or may

do so much later than they would have done had their parents not had to pay

directly. Determining variations in childhood access to medical care is clearly a major

policy issue, particularly given there is reason to suspect that a delay in seeking

medical care is associated with more complications from, and consequences to illness.

Information pertaining to medical cards and private health insurance for respondents

would be valuable in looking at changes in health care cover status over time, and

whether these changes have any impact on health outcomes for the child or on

healthcare utilization rates. This is particularly relevant given that Cohort 08 at 3

were not eligible for the universal free GP visit scheme that now applies to Cohort

Recommendations for Cohort 24 at 3 years:

•Collect information on whether the child and family are covered by a medical card,15 GP visit card and/or private medical insurance, similar to Cohort 08 at 3, to facilitate cross-cohort comparisons.

Developmental checks