Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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314. To ask the Minister for Health if he has made any progress in ending the blood test charge for medical card holders by GPs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49164/23]

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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316. To ask the Minister for Health if he will make medical card holders aware of the option to seek reimbursement of costs for blood tests via the medical card unit or via GP surgeries, in order that medical card holders are aware of this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49166/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 314 and 316 together.

GP services are provided without charge to people who hold a medical card or GP visit card under the GMS scheme. 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 issue of GPs charging GMS patients for phlebotomy services (blood tests) is complex given the numerous reasons and circumstances under which blood tests are taken. Clinical determinations as to whether a blood test should taken to either assist in the diagnosis of illness or the treatment of a condition are made by the GP concerned. There is no provision under the GMS GP contract for persons who hold a medical card or GP visit card to be charged for such blood tests.

In addition, blood tests undertaken in the context of services provided under the GP Chronic Disease Management Programme are covered by the fees paid to GPs by the HSE for this care.

The issue of certain GPs charging GMS patients for necessary blood tests has been raised with the relevant GP representative body on a number of occasions. However, it has not yet proven possible to achieve agreement that no charges for blood tests would be applied in any circumstances.

Where a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card believes they have been incorrectly charged for routine phlebotomy services or for a different service by their 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 a GMS patient, will contact the GP concerned and carry out an investigation into each complaint and, where appropriate, will arrange for a refund of charges incorrectly applied by the GP.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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315. To ask the Minister for Health if he will reform the reimbursement process for medical card holders who are charged for blood tests, to make the process easier for our most vulnerable citizens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49165/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for pricing and reimbursement decisions under the community drug schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. Therefore, this matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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317. To ask the Minister for Health the reason specialised lens, which are expensive to those with eye sight issues, are not covered under the medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49167/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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318. To ask the Minister for Health how many dentists have signed back up to provide dental care for medical card holders in County Roscommon, County Galway, and in total across the State. [49168/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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319. To ask the Minister for Health the number of dentists which left the dental treatment scheme, where they were providing dental care to medical card patients in counties Roscommon and Galway, in tabular form. [49169/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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320. To ask the Minister for Health what plans he has to ensure that medical card holders can access dental care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49170/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides dental care, free of charge, to medical card holders aged 16 and over. Since May 1st 2022, there has been additional prevention treatments included and a 40-60% increase in fees across most treatment items.

Fees paid to dentists for DTSS care are aligned with other European countries which provide comparable public dental care, noting that many European countries, especially in the southern and eastern regions, don’t have a scheme in place for adults which is free at point of access. From January to October this year, 142,450 additional treatments have been provided under the DTSS, with over 25,600 extra unique patients treated when compared with the same period last year.

The Government is committed to fundamentally reforming dental services, including the DTSS, through implementation of the National Oral Health Policy, Smile agus Sláinte. The Department is working closely with the HSE to ensure the establishment of focused structures to drive implementation of the Policy. The HSE has now appointed a Strategic Reform Lead to drive Policy implementation across the organisation and to move forward in 2024 with developing new services for both adults and children in line with the Policy. This will include work on planning new services for medical card holders.

While it will take a number of years to bring reform to complete fruition, there will be an early emphasis in implementation on addressing the current issues, including the reform of the provision of services for medical card holders.