Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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852. To ask the Minister for Health the reason a person who has a medical card has to pay to get blood tests taken at his or her general practitioner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37028/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Persons who are eligible for GP care without charge under the Health Act 1970 are not subject to any co-payments or other charges in respect of such services. There is no provision under the GMS GP contract for persons who hold a medical card or GP visit card to be charged for routine phlebotomy services provided by their GP which are required to either assist in the diagnosis of illness or the treatment of a condition and the HSE has advised GPs accordingly.  

I am aware that, nonetheless, some GPs are charging GMS patients for phlebotomy services in some circumstances. The GP chronic disease management programme which is being phased in from this year will involve the ongoing monitoring of patients’ condition and any blood tests required in this context will be covered by the fees payable for this care. 

However, it remains a matter of concern to me that a GMS and GP visit card patient might be charged for blood tests which are clinically necessary and I have asked my officials to discuss with the HSE what further solutions to this issue may be possible.  If a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card believes he or she has been incorrectly charged for routine phlebotomy services by his or her GP, then that patient should report the matter to their HSE Local Health Office. The local management, upon being notified of potential inappropriate charging of GMS patients, carry out an investigation into each complaint and will, where appropriate, arrange for a refund of charges incorrectly applied by the GP.

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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853. To ask the Minister for Health the reason a person who has a medical card has to pay to get his or her ears syringed (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37029/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Persons who are eligible for GP care without charge under the Health Act 1970 are not subject to any co-payments or other charges in respect of such services. Under the terms of the current GMS contract, GPs are required to provide eligible patients with ''all proper and necessary treatment of a kind usually undertaken by a general practitioner and not requiring special skill or experience of a degree or kind which general practitioners cannot reasonably be expected to possess." The removal of wax by ear syringing is considered to be included under the GMS contract if the removal of wax forms part of the "proper and necessary treatment" required by an eligible patient.

I am not aware that there is currently an issue regarding GPs charging medical card patients for necessary ear syringing. However, if a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card believes they have been incorrectly charged for a service by their GP, then that patient should report the matter to their HSE Local Health Office.