Keira Keogh (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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1002. To ask the Minister for Health the specific types of blood tests that are covered by a medical card; the tests that are excluded; if her Department has issued guidance to GPs on the correct charging procedures for medical card holders in relation to blood tests; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61406/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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GPs are private practitioners, most of whom hold a GMS contract with the HSE for the provision of GP services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders.

Under the terms of the 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". Persons who hold a medical card or a GP visit card are not subject to any co-payments or other charges in respect of such services.

The issue of GPs charging GMS patients for phlebotomy services is complex given the numerous reasons and circumstances under which blood tests are taken. Clinical determinations as to whether a blood test should be 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 a GP visit card to be charged for clinically necessary blood tests.

The HSE has previously communicated to GMS GPs on this matter, however the relevant GP representative body, the IMO, does not agree with my Department’s and the HSE’s position regarding the provision of routine blood tests under the GMS contract. The issue of certain GPs charging GMS patients for necessary blood tests has previously been raised with the IMO. It has not yet proven possible to achieve agreement that no charges for clinically necessary blood tests would be applied in any circumstances.

Blood tests undertaken in the context of the GP Chronic Disease Management programme are covered by the fees paid to GPs by the HSE for this care.

Where a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card believes they have been incorrectly charged for routine phlebotomy services (i.e. a blood test to either assist in the diagnosis of illness or the treatment of a condition) by their GP, or has been charged for a blood test provided under the Chronic Disease Management programme, 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, shall contact the GP concerned and carry out an investigation into the complaint and will, where appropriate, arrange for a refund of charges incorrectly applied by that GP.

Fees charged by GPs outside the terms of the GMS contracts (and other HSE GP held contracts) are a matter of private contract between clinician and patient.