Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Health if, in the context of the need to secure savings in the GMS scheme, he and his Department are mindful of the pressures which general practitioners practices are already under; and if he will confirm that the efforts to secure the necessary savings are focusing on non-further services [17989/13]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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As part of Budget 2013, a number of measures are being taken to reduce the cost of the General Medical Service (GMS) Scheme. Among these is a reduction in the income limits for over-70s Medical Cards. The Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Act 2013 was enacted on 28 March 2013 to give effect to the revised eligibility arrangements. In addition, the assessment criteria for the standard medical card are being changed. Home Improvement Loan payments and a €50 per week car allowance in Travel-to-Work expenses will, in future, be excluded from consideration in the means test assessment.

The fees and allowances payable to certain health professionals are also being reviewed under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) Act 2009. The professionals concerned include General Practitioners and Pharmacists who hold contracts with the HSE, under the GMS scheme. Following careful consideration of submissions made during the review, including written and oral submissions made by the Irish Medical Organisation, the Minister for Health will decide whether any reductions in fees/allowances will be made, and, if so, the scale of reductions that would be fair and reasonable in the circumstances. Should the Minister decide that reductions are warranted, Regulations will be made under the FEMPI Act with the approval of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.