General Medical Services Scheme.

Tuesday, 30 September 2008

Questions (172)

Michael Ring

Question:

277 Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children the annual capitation fee for each eligible person paid to doctors under the GMS contract; the schedule of GMS fees and the fee for each doctor patient contract under the fee per item of service agreement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32064/08]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Health and Children (Deputy Mary Harney)

Doctors holding capitation contracts under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme with the Health Service Executive (HSE) are remunerated on the basis of the composition of their patient panel and the annual capitation rates payable reflect the age, gender and location of the patient.

A detailed list of the current rates payable is set out in tabular form:

Age	Up to 3 Miles	3-5 Miles	5-7 Miles	7-10 Miles	Over 10 Miles
	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female
	€	€	€	€	€	€	€	€	€	€
up to 4 years	83.53	81.57	87.76	85.83	94.01	92.11	100.19	98.30	107.85	105.94
5-15	50.12	50.64	51.87	52.39	54.45	55.03	56.95	57.49	60.09	60.58
16-44	62.89	100.38	65.17	102.65	68.54	106.00	71.84	108.76	75.89	113.38
45-64	121.74	133.38	127.20	138.85	135.26	146.89	143.20	154.87	153.09	164.70
65-69	128.04	142.39	143.22	157.59	165.77	180.12	187.89	202.26	215.42	229.81
70 and over	139.59	154.38	155.22	170.06	178.52	193.33	201.37	216.20	229.79	244.64

A capitation rate of €640 per annum is paid to GPs for the provision of service under the GMS contract for each person who qualifies for a medical card for the first time on the basis of being aged 70 years and over in the community. In respect of medical card holders, aged 70 years and over, who are resident in a private nursing home (approved by the HSE) for any continuous period of five weeks, the GP is paid a capitation rate of €927 per annum per card holder.

The other information sought by the Deputy is not provided by the Health Service Executive to my Department as a matter of routine. Accordingly, my Department has therefore requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to address this matter and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.