in ireland for instance all residents are covered but entitlements to services and levels of cost sharing vary across population categories each resident belongs to one of two categories depending on income level people in category or medical card holders are entitled to a full range of services without charge for example general practitioner services prescribed medicines inpatient and ambulatory hospital care dental and ophthalmic services while people in category have a limited eligibility and must copay for many health services in italy and spain regions and autonomous communities have some latitude to adjust benefits covered or copayments at the margins in the united kingdom copayments vary across the constituent countries there are no copayments on prescription drugs in scotland wales or northern ireland while there are in england in other countries entitlement to health coverage is contributory coverage is linked to the payment of social contributions or health insurance premiums