Vol. 440 No. 4
336 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Health the steps, if any, he will take to prevent GPs in the general medical service who certify telephone rental allowance applications from charging old age pensioners with medical cards for this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Certification by general practitioners of incapacity of old age pensioners in respect of eligibility under the free telephone rental scheme is not encompassed by the current agreement for the provision of general practitioner services under the general medical services scheme. However, I have been given to understand that general practitioners usually provide the relevant medical certification without charge to old age pensioners who are medical card holders. I share the concern expressed by the Deputy and I consider that an elderly medical card patient should not be charged for medical certification which enables the person to qualify for free telephone rental.
As the free telephone rental scheme is administered by the Department of Social Welfare, I have requested officials of my Department to raise the matter with that Department.
