Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 May 2022
713. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that costs in respect of the provision of a specific health service is reduced for patients (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22722/22]
View answerUnder the terms of the current GMS contract, GPs are required to provide eligible patients with ''all proper and necessary treatment of a kind usually undertaken by a general practitioner and not requiring special skill or experience of a degree or kind which general practitioners cannot reasonably be expected to possess." There is no provision under the GMS GP contract for persons who hold a medical card or GP visit card to be charged for medical services provided under the contract.
GPs are reimbursed by the HSE for medical services provided to medical card or GP visit card holders, while patients who do not hold a medical card or GP visit card access GP services on a private basis. I have no role in relation to the fees charged by individual GPs or GP out of hours cooperatives for private in-person or telephone consultations, as the fees charged by GPs for services to private patients are a matter of private contract between the clinician and their patient.
