Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 11 Dec 2001

Vol. 546 No. 3

Written Answers. - General Medical Services Scheme.

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

179 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the way in which the cost of providing free medical care to persons over 70 years of age is at least three times more than indicated when the scheme was introduced; and the way in which 20,000 more people than expected had applied for medical cards for the over 70 years of age category when his Department had initially calculated that there would be 33,000 extra cards issued under the scheme. [31381/01]

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

226 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on a recent claim by the Irish Medical Organisation stating that general practitioners are being underpaid moneys owed to them under the extension of the general medical scheme to all patients over 70 years of age. [31675/01]

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

235 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the availability of medical cards to persons over 70 years of age or other categories; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31787/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 179, 226 and 235 together.

The capitation rate now being paid to doctors in respect of their eligible patients aged 70 years and over from 1 July 2001 reflects a negotiated figure agreed between the Irish Medical Organisation and my Department through the HSEA.

Recent information provided to my Department by the health boards and given in an answer last week reported that the number of medical card applications for this category of patient now stands at 67,575. It will now be necessary to validate the current information and I will revert to the Deputy when this has been done.

The calculations of costs associated with the implementation of the budget provision were, as I stated previously, originally based on the figures available from the Central Statistics Office for the total number of persons in that age category and the information available from the GMS Payments Board as to the number of persons who currently held a medical card.

On the question of the underpayment of moneys due to general practitioners, I am assured by the GMS Payments Board that doctors who have been issued with contracts by their health boards are being paid for their services. There may be some doctors who await the necessary qualification certification before their claims can be processed and these doctors have not been receiving payment for services provided to persons aged 70 years and over. A meeting was held on Friday last on this subject, at which my Department was represented, with the Medical Council, Irish College of General Practitioners and the Irish Medical Organisation.

Persons aged 70 years and over are eligible for a medical card regardless of means. Persons in other age groups should apply in the normal way and have their application assessed primarily on means but with other relevant factors also taken into account in the determination of their eligibility.