Section 127 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1981 provides that the Minister for Social Welfare may arrange for the issue of medical certificates free of charge to sickness benefit claimants.
In accordance with this provision, arrangements apply under which qualified medical practitioners undertake to provide medical certificates of incapacity on request from insured persons who wish to claim disability benefit, injury benefit or maternity benefit. One of the conditions of the undertaking which the practitioner is required to sign provides that the certifier shall medically examine a claimant for benefit and where he is satisfied that the claimant is so in-capacitated shall issue a certificate accordingly.
The certifier is remunerated by my Department in respect of medical certicates issued by him. Certifiers are prohibited under the terms of their undertakings from demanding or accepting cash or award for the issue of such a medical certificate and may only charge a fee to the claimant where medical advice and treatment is requested separately by the claimant. In the case of claimants who are covered by the General Medical Services Scheme, the cost of examination is normally met by the health board.
The agreement signed by medical certifiers sets out the method of calculation of payment for certificates issued.
