Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 October 2018
621. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if reports that general practitioners are charging a fee of €10 to sign illness benefit claim forms will be investigated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43257/18]
View answerIn August 2018, my Department introduced a new claim form and medical certificate to replace the previous forms used for certification of the Department’s illness and injury benefit schemes. The introduction of new forms is designed to improve the administration of the certification process and to make claim and payment procedures more efficient for everyone involved – patients, GPs, and the Department.
The Department has a contract with GPs on the Department for Employment Affairs and Social Protection panel in respect of medical certification for illness and injury Benefit and wrote to just under 3,500 contracting GPs, setting out the changes involved and will continue to communicate with all panel holders as the new process beds in.
In addition, the Department consulted with the Irish Medical Organization, IMO, - a longstanding representative body with a broad range of GPs in its membership. The Department will continue to consult with the IMO under our framework agreement on a range of issues including e-certification, closed certification and changes to forms. The IMO as it is the body that is recognised as holding the representative rights for GPs.
Some general practitioners have continued to use the old forms after the changeover date. In order to facilitate the continued payment of illness and injury benefit to our customers, the Department has, to date, continued to accept these old forms.
A number of reports have been received of customers being asked by individual GPs to pay a fee in order to receive a medical certificate. This is at variance with the Department's contract under which the GP is obliged to complete and return specified medical report forms (including medical certificates), free of charge to the patient, when requested to do so by the Department. These reports will be followed up with the individual practitioners.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
