Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 109: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the costings that have been done on the proposal for a common capitation fee to general practitioners in respect of all medical card patients who are over 70 years old; the way that this differs from the overall cost for such patients prior to the changes proposed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42431/08]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 122: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the outcome of discussions with representatives of general practitioners on proposals to agree a fee for all over 70 year old patients instead of the current arrangement whereby they are paid a higher capitation payment for those who qualified through automatic right than for those who qualified through a means test; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42430/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 122 together.

A capitation rate of €640 per annum is currently paid to GPs for the provision of service under the GMS contract for each person who qualifies for a medical card for the first time, on the basis of being aged 70 years and over in the community. In respect of persons aged 70 years and over in the community who had at some time previously held a medical card, the GP is paid a rate varying between €139.59 and €244.64 depending on the cardholder's gender and distance from the GP's surgery.

Following the Government decision to withdraw automatic entitlement to a medical card from persons aged 70 and over with effect from 1st January 2009 and to raise the income thresholds for persons in that age cohort, the Government appointed Mr. Eddie Sullivan to make recommendations on a new single annual capitation fee to be paid to general practitioners in respect of medical card holders aged 70 and over in the community, which would come into effect on 1st January 2009. Having considered in excess of seventy submissions from interested parties, including the Irish Medical Organisation, and taking into account the existing fees and cost structure, Mr. Sullivan recommended a single capitation fee of €290, which he estimated would generate savings of the order of €16 million in 2009. Mr. Sullivan's recommendations were accepted by Government on 29th October 2008 and his report has been published.