Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 March 2024
1511. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health to clarify the policy on blood tests as part of monitoring a medical condition for patients holding a medical card or GP visit card; the steps that can be taken to ensure that blood tests necessary for diagnosis and monitoring are covered by the medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13069/24]
View answerGP services are provided without charge to people who hold a medical card or GP visit card under the GMS scheme. Under 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.".
The issue of GPs charging GMS patients for phlebotomy services (blood tests) is complex given the numerous reasons and circumstances under which blood tests are taken. Clinical determinations as to whether a blood test should taken to either assist in the diagnosis of illness or the treatment of a condition are made by the GP concerned. There is no provision under the GMS GP contract for persons who hold a medical card or GP visit card to be charged for such blood tests.
In addition, blood tests undertaken in the context of services provided under the GP Chronic Disease Management Programme are covered by the fees paid to GPs by the HSE for this care.
The issue of certain GPs charging GMS patients for necessary blood tests has been raised with the relevant GP representative body on a number of occasions. However, it has not yet proven possible to achieve agreement that no charges for blood tests would be applied in any circumstances.
Where a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card believes they have been incorrectly charged for routine phlebotomy services or for a different service by their GP, then that patient should report the matter to their HSE Local Health Office. The local management, upon being notified of potential inappropriate charging of a GMS patient, will contact the GP concerned and carry out an investigation into each complaint and, where appropriate, will arrange for a refund of charges incorrectly applied by the GP.
