Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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655. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she has achieved the savings indicated in Budget 2013 of €5 million in the cost to her Department of medical certificates and reports for illness and disability related schemes for the year to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35491/13]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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656. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the amount spent on medical certificates and reports in 2012; the amount of reduction achieved in 2011; the way the savings were achieved and the projected spend for 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35492/13]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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657. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a breakdown of the amount spent on medical certificates and reports in 2011 and 2012; the highest payment, and the average payment made to a medical certifier; if she will provide a breakdown of the range of payments made by category as follows €0-€999; €1,000-€4,999; €5,000-€9,999; and in increases of €10,000 above that for 2011 and 2012; if she will list the name and addresses of the top ten recipients of payments to medical certifiers for each year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35493/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 655 to 657, inclusive, together.

A target expenditure of €20.75m has been set for 2013 in respect of payments for medical certificates and reports for illness and disability related schemes. This represents a reduction of some €5m on payments made in 2012. Payments to certifiers are made on a quarterly basis. Two quarterly payments have been made to date in 2013. Payment expenditure for Q1 2013 was €5,473,080 out of a profiled €5,500,000. Payment expenditure for Q2 was €5,305,650 out of a profiled €5,500,000. The Department is on target to achieve its budgeted expenditure in this area in 2013. Close monitoring of the expenditure will continue during the year.

The following table outlines the payments made to certifiers in respect of medical certificates and medical reports for 2012 and for 2011.

Table 1 – Payments to Certifiers 2011 and 2012

My Department is continually examining ways of reducing the number of certificates that are furnished under the illness benefit scheme, for example; submitting medical certificates for the sole purpose of obtaining credited contributions, also the frequency of certification for some conditions. The projected spend for 2013 is €20,750,000.

The breakdown of the amounts spent on medical certificates and medical reports in 2011 and 2012 is outlined in the following tables – it should be noted that, in some cases, certifier payments cover practices involving a number of doctors.

PAYMENTS TO CERTIFIERS FOR 2011;

The total amount paid to certifiers was €31,656,426.

Highest payment €100,940

Average payment €10,859

Table 2 - Breakdown of Payments to Certifiers in 2011 by range

For data protection reasons I regret I am not in a position to supply the names of the top 10 certifiers.

PAYMENTS TO CERTIFIERS FOR 2012;

The total amount paid to certifiers was €25,017,103

Highest payment was €101,749.78.Average payment for was € 8,653.44

Table 4 - Breakdown of Payments to Certifiers in 2012 by range