The only reasons why you won't have to pay at Ireland's A&E's if you turn up with an emergency

Ireland's hospitals are facing a bit of an overcrowding crisis, with plenty of people waiting on trolleys in wards across the country.

Some of them have faced waits of over 12 hours, with many more having ended up needing a bed as a result of entering the hospital via the accident and emergency department.

In total, 521 people were waiting on a bed across Irish hospitals on Monday morning.

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Staff issues are not helping the situation.

Of course, if you have to go to A&E without being referred to the department by a GP, there is an automatic charge of €100.

However, there are a number of occasions where you will avoid the charge.

If you:

• Bring a letter from your GP
• If you have a medical card

• are admitted to hospital as an in-patient as a result of attending the casualty department

• getting treatment for prescribed infectious diseases, including COVID-19

• Are a child under six weeks of age

Then you will avoid the charge.

There are a few other instances where the €100 charge does not apply.

These are:

• People who are admitted to hospital as an in-patient as a result of attending the casualty department (you may be subject to in-patient charges)
• People getting treatment for prescribed infectious diseases, including COVID-19
• Children up to 6 weeks of age
• Children with illnesses and disabilities as set out in Regulations: “mental handicap, mental illness, phenylketonuria, cystic fibrosis, spina bifida, hydrocephalus, haemophilia and cerebral palsy”
• Children referred for treatment from child health clinics and school health examinations
• People who are entitled to hospital services because of EU Regulations
• Women getting maternity services
• People with Hepatitis C who have a Health Amendment Act Card
• Participants in the Redress Scheme for Women Resident in Certain Institutions

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