Abortion Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 July 2023

Thursday, 13 July 2023

Questions (682)

Seán Canney

Question:

682. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 615 of 4 July 2023, the reason for the disparity in his reply where he stated there had been approximately 8,844 second consultation claims made in 2022 under the PCRS for termination of pregnancy, whilst in Parliamentary Question No. 172 of 10 May 2023, the HSE stated there had been 8,876 claims under the PCRS for termination of pregnancy in 2022; and if he will clearly clarify, the exact number of claims paid out under the PCRS for combined termination of pregnancy procedure and aftercare in 2022. [34991/23]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Figures from the HSE Primary Care Reimbursement Scheme (PCRS), relate to claims from GPs to the HSE for the provision of services under the termination of pregnancy services contract. These figures are periodically supplied to the Department on an informal basis to assist the Department in identifying any potential shortfall in notifications under Section 20 of the 2018 Act. The end of year figure for 2022 of 8,844, was as flagged in the Department’s response an approximate figure, and based on the latest information available to the Department.

However, as there are no time limits sets out in the Termination of Pregnancy contract around the submission of claims, the HSE on occasion receives late claims from individual GPs which must be processed under contract once verified and validated. Therefore, while reports are valid on date of production underlying data changes can occur after and change the reported figures.

In this particular instance this had the effect of altering the end of year figure.

I have now asked the HSE to provide the most recent reimbursement claims data to the Deputy and I expect there will be further marginal changes in the claims data.