THE GOVERNMENT yesterday announced details of the new criteria for securing free or half-price state medical care.
The new criteria, which come into effect on January 1, classify people as either class `A’ or class `B’ claimants.
The former are entitled to almost completely free medical care, the only charge being £1 for every visit to hospital outpatient departments.
Class `B’ claimants are entitled to half-price medical care.
At the moment, claimants need to secure a “needy” certificate from the local community leader to secure free care. As from January 1, the system will change, with claimants having to secure a “Health Care Certificate” from hospitals or rural medical centres. Application forms for such certificates are already available from hospitals, medical centres and village mukhtars.
Retired civil servants, regular government workers and war wounded do not need such certificates to secure free health care.
Only Cypriot citizens are entitled to such medical aid.
Class `A’ claimants are:
– Single persons earning up to £6,000 a year
– Couples without dependant children earning up to £10,000 a year
– Couples with one dependant child earning up to £10,600 a year
– Couples with up to two dependant children earning up to £11,200 a year
– Couples with three dependant children earning up to £11,800 a year
– All members of families with over three children
– The enclaved and their families
– The dependants of missing persons.
Class `B’ claimants are:
– Singles earning between £6,001 and £9,000
– Couples without dependant children earning between £10,001 and £14,000 a year
– Couples with one dependant child earning between £10,601 and £14,600 year
– Couples with up to two dependant children earning between £11,201 and £15,200 a year,
– Couples with three dependant children earning between £11,801 and £15,800 a year.
The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.
