Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 May 2026
737. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Health if GPs are entitled to charge a full visit fee in advance of issuing an initial prescription for medication covered by the free HRT scheme; if GPs are entitled to charge a full visit fee for issuing repeat prescriptions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41326/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraGPs are private practitioners, most of whom hold a GMS contract for the provision of GP services without charge to medical card 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 and not requiring special skill or experience of a degree or kind which general practitioners cannot reasonably be expected to possess". Persons who hold a medical card or a GP visit card are not subject to any co-payments or other charges in respect of such services.
Fees charged by GPs outside the terms of the GMS contracts are a matter of private contract between the GP and their patient. My Department has no role in relation to such fees.
Under the Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) arrangement, where a woman has been prescribed a HRT product by her healthcare provider for the purpose of alleviating the symptoms associated with all stages of menopause, the cost of the HRT medications, and the pharmacy dispensing fees are met by the State.
The arrangement removed a substantial cost burden for women in need of HRT products. The cost of GP consultation fees for private patients is not included in the Free HRT Arrangement, however, women with Medical Cards and GP Visit Cards continue to receive their GP care for free with this eligibility, including any menopause-related appointments.
