Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise again the issue of some doctors charging medical card patients for blood tests. I am constantly raising this issue. These are very vulnerable people. I have people ringing my clinic saying they cannot afford to pay for their blood tests. They have medical cards. More than 1 million people have a medical card and, although they can ask for a refund of these charges from the HSE, since 2017 only 21 refunds have been given. That is unacceptable. People with medical cards should not have to pay to have their bloods taken. It is unacceptable and unfair. They are very vulnerable people. Now we even have the added issue that those seeking a medical card will have to wait because of the cyberattack. I understand that the HSE is doing its very best. As for any delays outpatients or other people are experiencing, communication will be the key. We have to make sure we communicate with those vulnerable people who need to know where they stand.

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