Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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334. To ask the Minister for Health his Department’s estimated full-year cost of providing free general practitioner care to all the population. [51153/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The framework under which general practitioners are remunerated for the provision of services to holders of a medical card or GP visit card is comprised of a number of elements, principally an annual capitation payment per patient, additional fee-per-service payments and a range of practice supports. To estimate the cost of the provision of care free at the point of use to the full population would require a detailed modelling exercise.

The Deputy will be aware that the Report of the Committee on the Future of Healthcare which was published on 30 May 2017 recommended the phased introduction of universal GP care over the next five years. I have consistently supported the work of the cross-party Committee, and welcomed the level of consensus and stakeholder support that it has attracted. Work is underway within my Department to develop a detailed response to the Sláintecare Report.