Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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768. To ask the Minister for Health if he is considering changing the medical card payment process for general practitioners from a fixed annual payment per medical card holder to paying the GP per consultation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28846/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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General Practitioners are self-employed private practitioners, most of whom have contracts with the HSE to provide services under various public health schemes. Under the General Medical Services (GMS) contract, GPs are reimbursed for a range of services they provide to medical card and GP visit card holders. GPs are remunerated for these services primarily on a capitation basis, with a range of additional support payments and fees for specific items of service. Capitation payments provide certainty for GPs and for the state in relation to funding, and present a less burdensome administrative load on GPs and on the HSE than systems requiring claims for each individual service provided.

There are no plans at present to change how GPs are remunerated. However, the 2019 GP Agreement on GP contractual reform and service developments includes a commitment to undertake a strategic review of GP services within the lifetime of the Agreement; to examine how best to ensure the provision of GP services in Ireland for the future. The outcome of this review will inform future contractual changes, including the possibility of changes to the method of GP remuneration. Preparatory work for the review is beginning this year.