Conor Sheehan
Question:448. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Health if there are guidelines governing the amount a GP can charge a medical card patient for completing a form (details supplied) [50337/26]
View answerThursday, 2 July 2026
Questions (448)
Written answers
GPs are private practitioners. Most GPs hold contract(s) with the HSE for the provision of certain health services without charge, such as for the provision of GP care to medical card and GP visit card holders under the GMS contract.
Under the terms of the current GMS contract, GPs are required to provide eligible patients, persons who hold a medical card or GP visit card, 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". Eligible persons are not subject to any co-payments or other charges in respect of such services including GP consultations.
The HSE reimburses GPs for medical services provided under the GMS contract to medical and GP visit card holders. The contract stipulates that fees in respect of certain medical certificates which may be required, for example, "under the Social Welfare Acts or for the purposes of insurance or assurance policies or for the issue of driving licences" are not covered by the contract.
The provision of services outside the terms of the GMS contract, and the fees charged for same, are a matter of private contract between the GP and their patient.
Where a Department or authority requires the inclusion of a medical report as part of a submission/claim, that requirement is governed by the Department or authority concerned.