Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 October 2024
670. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that medical card holders are regularly being charged for sick notes and other letters that were once provided free of charge by GPs; his views on this practice; if he plans to engage with GPs to ensure that those with medical cards are provided with doctor's letters without cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41461/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE reimburses GPs for services provided under the GMS contract to medical and GP visit card holders. 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...". The terms of the GMS contract provide that a GP shall furnish to a patient they’ve examined a certificate in relation to any illness noticed during the examination as reasonably required by the patient.
However, Section 11 of the GMS 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 requirements to claim Illness Benefit, including the necessary submission of a ‘Certificate of Incapacity for Work’, are a matter for the Department of Social Protection and separate from the GP's obligations under the GMS contract.
If a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card believes they have been incorrectly charged for services under the GMS contract 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 GMS patients, 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.
