Tom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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379. To ask the Minister for Health if a general practitioner can charge a person for a home visit even if the patient is in receipt of a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39614/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Under the General Medical Services (GMS) contract, GPs must be available to provide services in their practice premises or by way of domiciliary visits, as appropriate, for their medical card and GP visit card patients for 40 hours each week. They must also make arrangements to enable contact to be made with them, or a locum/deputy, for urgent cases outside of these hours. It is a matter for the GP to decide whether it is appropriate to see the patient in his/her surgery or in the patient's home based on the clinical need, social and other circumstances in any particular case.

There is no provision under the GMS GP contract for persons who hold a medical card or GP visit card to be charged for a home visit which their GP deems necessary.

If a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card believes they have been incorrectly charged for services provided by their GP, they may wish to report the matter to their HSE Local Health Office who can investigate the charge.