James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 155: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number and percentage of persons under 70 years who were medical cardholders for each of the years 2003 to 2009 in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30388/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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Details of the numbers of medical card and GP visit card holders are provided to my Department by the Health Service Executive (HSE), categorised by age and gender. Details in relation to years 2003 to 2009 are included in the following table:

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 156: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number and percentage of over 70 years medical card holders for each of the years 2003 to 2009 in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30389/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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Details of the numbers of medical card and GP visit card holders are provided to my Department by the Health Service Executive (HSE), categorised by age and gender. Details in relation to years 2003 to 2009 are included in the following table:

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 157: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of general practitioner visit card holders per annum since its introduction; the total cost of same in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30390/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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Details of the number of GP visit card holders are provided to my Department each month by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and reflect the position after new cards have been added and other cards, as appropriate, have been removed from the HSE's database. GP visit card holder figures in relation to years 2005 to 2009 are contained in the following table:

* GP visit cards introduced in November 2005.

The cost in 2009 is estimated to be in the region of €34 million.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 158: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the average number of prescriptions issued for medical card holders for each of the years 2003 to 2009 in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30391/10]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 159: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the average cost of prescriptions issued to medical card holders for each of the years 2003 to 2009 in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30392/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 158 and 159 together.

As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 160: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the average cost of a medical card for each of the years 2003 to 2009 in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30393/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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There are two main cost factors associated with medical cards, firstly the capitation and other payments made to General Practitioners (GPs) and, secondly, the cost of drugs supplied to patients.

GPs who hold contracts under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme with the Health Service Executive (HSE) are remunerated principally on the basis of fees and payments set out in the Health Professionals (Reduction of Payments to General Practitioners) Regulations 2009. Prior to that, these fees and payments had been agreed as part of the GMS GP contract and amended as appropriate in line with normal wage agreements. Included among these fees are more than 50 different capitation fees. The fees vary depending on the age and gender of the patient and the distance he or she lives from the GP's surgery. For example, fees currently range from €76.98 for a male patient under 5 years living 3 miles or less from the GP's surgery to €218.37 for a female aged 65-70 years living more than 10 miles from the surgery. In addition, there are special capitation rates of €280.31 for persons over 70 residing at home and €896.07 for persons over 70 residing in private nursing homes. There are also a range of additional payments; for example, in respect of out-of-hours consultations, temporary residents, special items of services (e.g. suturing), panel size, practice support allowances and locum expenses.

As regards the supply of drugs and medicines, medical card holders receive these free of charge. Drugs costs vary significantly depending on the patient's medical condition.

Given the number of medical card holders and the variety of payment arrangements and the variation in drug costs over the period 2003 to 2009, a single average annual cost figure in respect of the medical card is not a sufficiently refined measure for policy options and decisions. However, I would draw the Deputy's attention to page 24 of the Primary Care Reimbursement Service's (PCRS) Statistical Analysis of Claims and Payments 2007 and 2008 (available on line at: http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/Publications/services/Primary/Primary_Care_Reimbursement_Service_Payments_2007.pdf and http://www.hse.ie/eng/staff/PCRS/PCRS_Publications/FSA2008.pdf). These show the number of eligible persons under the GMS Scheme for the period 2003 to 2008, the total payments to doctors and the overall cost of medicines for those years and the Doctors' and Pharmacy payments per person for those years.