Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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219. To ask the Minister for Health the cost of rolling out free general practitioner care at a rate of almost a quarter of a million more persons each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12301/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware of the ongoing review of the GMS and other publicly funded contracts involving GPs, and that the next phase of discussions to progress this work is underway. Initial engagement with GP representative bodies began in January. As with any negotiation-type process, and given the range and complexity of the issues to be discussed, the engagement may take some time.

The estimated cost of extending free GP care to all citizens will vary depending on the outcome of these negotiations and any implications they may have for the future scope and content of the general practitioner service, and the relevant fees and payments to GPs. It would be premature, in advance of substantive progress being made on the development of a new contract, to make statements in relation to funding.

However, the Deputy may be aware that the HSE has recently published the Primary Care Reimbursement Service Statistical Analysis of Claims and Payments 2015, which indicates that the average GP cost per eligible person is €226.07.