Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
1806. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the full-year cost of providing universal free general practitioner care for all; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35021/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra1844. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of extending free general practitioner care to all children aged 18 years of age and under; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35257/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1806 and 1844 together.
GMS contractors receive a range of capitation rates, fee per service payments and practice supports. It is not possible to definitively calculate the cost of extending universal GP access given the wide range of payments and variables that have to be accounted for.
Such a calculation would require a complex and detailed modelling exercise to account for a range of demographic changes, future projections of service demands and variation in the number of GPs and the allowances that could be paid.
The cost of GP visit and medical cards varies significantly with the age of the cardholder. The table below outlines the current indicative annual cost for GP visit card eligibility and medical card eligibility, by age group.
|
Age Group |
IIIndicative Annual Cost per Card |
|
|
GP Visit Card |
Medical Card |
|
|
0 – 4 Yrs |
€242 |
€385 |
|
5 – 15 Yrs |
€165 |
€234 |
|
16 - 44 Yrs |
€150 |
€642 |
|
45 – 64 Yrs |
€221 |
€1,243 |
|
65 – 69 Yrs |
€249 |
€1,629 |
|
Aged 70 and over |
€498 |
€2,125 |
Note: Indicative costings compiled by the HSE Primary Care Reimbursement Service, based on claims for the 12 month period to March 2018.
The extension of free GP care to all children under 18 not currently covered by a medical card or GP visit card would encompass a further 510,000 people approximately. Extension of free GP care to all citizens who do not currently hold a medical card or GP visit card would encompass a further 2.7 million people approximately.
The Report of the Committee on the Future of Healthcare which was published in May 2017 recommended the phased introduction of universal GP care over the next five years through increased income thresholds. A Sláintecare Implementation Strategy has been developed in response to the Sláintecare report and was recently approved by Government. I expect to publish this implementation strategy in the coming weeks. The implementation strategy will set out a programme of health reform for the coming years, addressing this and other recommendations in the Sláintecare report.
