free gp visit card budget

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GP visit cards

What is a gp visit card, who can get a gp visit card, income limits for people aged under 70, how to apply for a gp visit card, more information on gp visit cards.

A GP visit card is a card that gives you free visits to a participating family doctor (GP). If you are not eligible for a medical card , you may be eligible for a GP visit card.

What does a GP visit card cover?

Your GP visit card covers the cost of visits to your GP and visits to GP out-of-hours services . Blood tests to diagnose or monitor a condition are covered.

The GP visit card does not cover hospital charges . Prescribed drugs are not free but may be covered by the Drugs Payment Scheme .

You can apply for a GP visit card online.

You must be ordinarily resident in Ireland to apply for a GP visit card. This means that you are living in Ireland and intend to live here for at least one year.

You will qualify for a GP visit card with no means test if you are :

• Aged under 8 (see GP visit cards for children )

Aged over 70

• Getting Carer’s Benefit or Carer’s Allowance , at full or half-rate

If you are aged under 70, your income is assessed by the HSE to see whether you qualify for a GP visit card. See below for information about the HSE basic rates of income.

Your income is assessed by the HSE using the means test for people aged under 70 . However, the basic rates of income for the GP visit card are higher than the limits for the medical card.

Your weekly net income is compared to the HSE's weekly basic rate of income . This is your income after tax, PRSI and universal social charge (USC) have been deducted. There are extra allowances for children.

If your income is above the weekly basic rate you may still qualify for a GP visit card after you include allowable expenses such as childcare and rent (see ‘Allowable expenses’ below).

The weekly basic rates of income increased on 11 September 2023 and again on 13 November 2023. If you were not eligible in the past, you may be eligible now.

Allowable expenses

Some living expenses are allowable. This means they increase your weekly basic rate of income.

Allowable expenses include:

• Childcare costs
• Rent (not including any amounts paid by Housing Assistance Payment or Rent Supplement )
• Reasonable mortgage payments on your family home and other land or property.
• Mortgage protection insurance and associated life assurance.
• Home insurance.
• Maintenance payments you make.
• Nursing home, private nursing or home care costs for you or your spouse.
• The cost of public transport.
• Driving expenses if a car is required, at a rate of 30 cent per mile/18 cent per km. If a couple needs two cars to travel to work, a double allowance applies. The cost of parking can be taken into account.
• Reasonable contributions towards carpooling costs.

See examples of how you or your family’s income is calculated when you apply for a GP visit card.

Read the HSE National Assessment Guidelines for medical card and GP visit card (pdf) . You can also find a list of the documents you need to support your application.

Aged over 70 with dependants

If you are aged over 70, you are eligible for a GP visit card regardless of your income.

If you are over 70 and you have dependants who are aged under 70, for example, a spouse or partner your dependants may qualify for a GP visit card if your combined gross income is over €1050, but not greater than €1,400 a week.

If either of you are aged over 70, you will both qualify for a full medical card if your combined gross income is €1050 or less per week.

Finances over the qualifying financial threshold

When you apply for a GP visit card, the HSE will first assess your application for a medical card . If you don't qualify for a medical card, you will then be assessed for a GP visit card.

If your finances are over the qualifying financial threshold for a medical card or GP visit card, you may still qualify for a discretionary medical card if your medical expenses would cause you financial hardship without one.

If you want to apply for a discretionary medical card , you should also include information about your family’s medical expenses in your application.

Aged under 70

If you are under 70, you use the same application process to apply for a GP visit card as for a medical card . So, as part of the application process for the GP visit card, your entitlement to a medical card is automatically assessed.

You can apply for a medical card or GP visit card online on medicalcard.ie

You can also download an application form for the GP visit card and medical card (pdf) and email it to [email protected] or post it to:

National Medical Card Unit,

PO Box 11745,

If you are aged 70 or over, you can register for your GP visit card online .

You can also download the registration form for people aged 70 and over (pdf) and email it to [email protected] or post it to:

GP Visit Card Over 70s,

PO Box 12629,

You can also call 0818 22 44 78 to ask for a paper registration form.

Application for a spouse or partner

If you are over 70, with a dependant spouse or partner who is under 70, and you think your finances may be under the qualifying financial threshold, you can apply for GP visit cards for both of you. To do this, you use the standard medical card/GP visit card application form (pdf) and include details of your income and allowable expenses. (For the HSE weekly basic income rates, see ‘Dependants of people aged over 70’ above).

Applying if you are a carer

If you get Carer’s Benefit or Carer’s Allowance, at full or half-rate, you are eligible for a GP visit card. You can register for the GP visit card for carers by email or post .

Appealing your GP visit card application

If your application for a GP visit card is refused, you will receive a letter from the HSE to let you know. The letter will also set out the reasons why your application has been refused.

If you are not satisfied with the decision, you may have it reviewed. Your circumstances may have changed, or you may have left out some relevant information from the original application.

If you are not satisfied with the review, you can make an appeal to the Appeals Office of your HSE Area . You can also find the contact details for the Appeals Office in the letter of refusal from the HSE.

The Appeals Office will conduct a reassessment of your application. This will be conducted by HSE staff who were not involved in deciding on your original application.

Your entitlement to a GP visit card is reviewed periodically by the HSE. This is because your circumstances may change. If you don’t return your review form, your GP visit card may not be re-issued.

If you return your review form by the given date but the review process continues past the expiry date of your card, the HSE may extend your card’s validity so that you can continue to use it while the review is taking place. The extension is on a month-by-month basis, so it is advisable to contact the HSE Client Registration Unit (contact details below) to confirm that your card has been extended and continues to be valid.

Check the status of your application for a GP visit card on the HSE website . You will need the reference number from your application.

You can check if your GP visit card is still valid on the HSE website.

Contact Lo-call 0818 22 44 78 or your Local Health Office for more information on GP visit cards. You can also contact the Client Registration Unit.

Client Registration Unit

4th Floor HSE PCRS Finglas Dublin 11

Related documents

• Services for medical card and GP visit card holders Family doctors (GPs) provide certain services to medical card and GP visit card holders free of charge. 3243.2869
• GP visit cards for children under 8 Children under 8 are entitled to free visits to participating GPs. Find out how to register for the GP visit card for children. 2983.8572
• Under 70s means test for medical card and GP visit card How your income is assessed for the medical card and GP visit card if you are under 70 years of age. 2757.0525

If you have a question about this topic you can contact the Citizens Information Phone Service on 0818 07 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm).

You can also contact your local Citizens Information Centre .

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The people that qualify for free GP visit card after Budget 2023 with half a million more now eligible

Hundreds of thousands more people will qualify for free GP care following Budget 2023.

Currently, children aged under six and those over 70 qualify for scheme - but this will be expanded significantly in the coming months. Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has called the expansion of the scheme "a gamechanger" and said that Budget 2023 marks the "highest allocation of funding to the health service in the history of the state".

Other health measures announced in Budget 2023 include the scrapping of hospital inpatient fees, expanding the free contraception scheme to women aged 30 and under and the provision of IVF services.

Read more: Budget 2023: Thousands more now eligible for fuel allowance as payment hiked by hundreds

Minister Donnelly said that the expansion of the GP visit card scheme will see half a million more people become eligible. Here's everything you need to know:

Who is eligible?

Currently, children under six, people over 70 and those who get Carer's Benefit or Carer's Allowance at half or full rate qualify. Under Budget 2023, the GP visits card scheme will be expanded to cover all children aged six and seven, as well as people who earn the median household income of €46,000 or less. The figure is net household income, after tax.

When are the cards being issued?

By the end of 2022, children aged six and seven will have received their GP visit card. From April 1, 2023, the scheme will be expanded to those with a net median household income of €46,000 or less.

What does the scheme cover?

A GP visit card allows you to visit a participating GP for free, including out of hours services. Blood tests to diagnose or monitor a condition are covered.

The card does not cover hospital charges or prescribed drugs.

How can those who qualify under Budget 2023 apply?

More information on how those who qualify under Budget 2023 can get their free GP visit card will be released in the coming months. Citizens Information says: "These changes require legislation. This page will be updated as more detail becomes available."

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Budget 2023: Nearly half a million people to become eligible for GP visit card

The Budget will be unveiled at 1pm today by ministers Paschal Donohoe and Michal McGrath

• 10:51, 27 SEP 2022

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As part of a series of health benefits set to be announced in the forthcoming Budget later today, over 430,000 people will be eligible to receive a GP visit card as a result of funding secured in the Budget by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly .

In a nutshell

The move, which was agreed upon following discussions between Donnelly and other government officials, has not yet been formally announced but is set to be unveiled in Budget 2023 later today.

The scheme's expansion means that, for the first time ever, over half of Ireland’s 5.2 million citizens will be in possession of either a GP visit card or a full medical card .

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Hospital charges

Furthermore, along with the updated GP card scheme plans to do away with hospital charges for all adults are also set to be introduced in the Budget. Previously it was announced that all children under 16 would have fees removed for visits.

The VAT charged on defibrillators will be removed in a bid to encourage an increase in their purchase and use.

Waiting lists

However, concerns have been raised regarding plans to give GP visit cards to hundreds of thousands of people in the forthcoming Budget, with Killarney GP Dr Gary Stack warning that this may lead to an increase in waiting list numbers, which in turn would put pressure on primary care services.

"It's going to result in delays in care, it's going to result in delayed investigation and treatment in hospital. I think the legacy of this minister will be a legacy of GP waiting lists which didn't exist prior to his entry here," Dr Stack told RTE Morning Ireland .

"There just is not the population of GPs to service the level of care that the government wish to provide.

"I don't think any GPs were expecting 430,000 divided between 3,000 GPs, that is almost 150 extra GP visit cards per patient," he added.

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• Most Recent

PRESS RELEASE Expansion of free GP Visit Cards will lead to longer waiting times for patients.

| Published on: Sep 27, 2022 | Categories: Press Releases , Uncategorized |

Innovative solutions to the GP Workforce crisis needed as Government announces expansion of free GP care in Budget 2023.

Only one in five (21%) of GP practices can take new GMS patients, and one in four (26%) can take new private patients, ICGP survey shows.

27th September 2022.

For Immediate Release.

The Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) is the professional body for general practice in Ireland. The ICGP is the representative organization for education, training and standards in general practice. There are over 3,500 GPs working in Ireland and over 900 in training.

In its response to Budget 2023, the Chairman of the ICGP, Dr John Farrell, said:

“GP Visit cards for over 400,000 more people, along with the rollout of free care to under 6s and 7s, is acknowledged in the context of preventative care and supporting families . However, we cannot ignore the fact that expanding free GP care will inevitably mean longer waiting times for patients’ appointments with GPs, at a time of huge workforce and workload pressures.”

Dr Farrell further noted that when GP care was extended to the Under 6s, consultation rates increased by 30%.

“All over the country, GP practices have closed their doors to new patients, not because they want to, but because they have reached full capacity and can’t take on any more new patients. This means that people can’t access GP care when they need it.”

The ICGP’s most recent membership survey (2021)  indicated that only one in five GP practices (21%) can take on new GMS patients because they are at full capacity, and only one in in four (26%) can take on new private patients because they are unable to employ another GP or replace a retiring GP. 

Dr Farrell added: “Our statistics show that 5% of our GPs are over 70 years of age, 14% are over 65 years of age, and 25% are over 60 years of age.”

“These figures show that we face serious shortages of GPs now as they retire, and will face even bigger challenges in the short term”.

The CEO of the ICGP, Fintan Foy, said “ The ICGP’s data is mirrored by the Irish Medical Council, whose recently published Medical Workforce Intelligence Report identifies a 42% deficit in GP numbers in Ireland.”

Mr Foy reiterated the ICGP’s call for a Ministerial Working Group on Future General Practice, to help plan for this shortage, and find innovative solutions to the workforce crisis.

The President of the ICGP, Dr Paul Armstrong , said : “The ICGP has responded to the impending shortage by rapidly expanding the numbers of GPs in training, with a 70% increase in training numbers since 2017. We plan to have 350 training places by 2026, but this will not meet the expected demand.”

“We will publish our potential solutions to this growing crisis in October, at our Autumn Conference. We hope the Minister will meet the College to discuss this as a matter of urgency.”

The ICGP’s Pre Budget Submission is available to read here.

Issued by: Aileen O’Meara, Communications Consultant, Irish College of General Practitioners.

Tel. 01 2542984 / 087 2239830

Email: [email protected]

www.icgpnews.ie  

www.icgp.ie

GENERAL PRACTICE – IN NUMBERS

As of September 30 th , 2021, there are 3,982 general practitioners (GPs) working in general practice. 

Of those, 3,852 are working in mainstream general practice.

Some of these are working part time, so the Full Time Equivalent (FTE) number is 2,774 equivalents.

There are over 900 GP trainees working in general practice on a supervised basis.

Of the 3,852 working in General Practice – 

14% (544) are aged 65+ years and are therefore due to retire within five years. A total of 25% (952) are aged 60+ years and therefore due to retire within 10 years. Almost 5% (229) of those working in clinical practice currently are aged over 70 years.

GPs and GP Practice Nurses undertake in excess of 29 million consultations per year. Additionally, over 1.3m consultations are delivered in GP Out-of-Hours clinics throughout the country.

EXPANSION OF NUMBERS IN TRAINING

THE ICGP has substantially increased the number of GP training places by 70% in the past 6 years and continued expansion is underway. 

In line with the Programme for Government, the ICGP is increasing the number of training places, and plans to have an annual intake of 350 trainees by 2026. However, there are restrictions due to limited capacity in hospitals to continue with this level of expansion.

YEAR INTAKE

The ICGP calculated a total of 29 million consultations (GP and GPN) take place in general practice annually with GPs spending an average of 13.7 minutes per consultation. The same study estimated that Irish people visit their GP 4.34 times a year, similar to data reported elsewhere. This increases to 5.91 general practice visits per person per year when both GP and GPN (Practice Nurse) visits are included.

IMPACT OF EXPANSION OF FREE GP CARE ON CONSULTATION RATES 

A study by researchers in the ICGP and UCD on the impact of the policy of free GP care for the under 6s, introduced in 2017, showed that there was a 20-21% increase in daytime GP consultations by under 6s, and a 25 – 29% increase in GP out-of-hours consultations by under 6s in the 3 years after this policy was introduced.

References for the data above available on request.

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Eligibility for GP visit cards expanded for people aged up to 69 and children aged 8 and over

THE MINISTER FOR Health Stephen Donnelly has announced an expansion of GP Visit Card eligibility. 

From next month, people aged up to 69 and parents of children aged 8 and up will be able to apply for a means-tested GP Visit Card online.

The means test assessment will consider a person’s or family’s circumstances, income and expenses in order to determine whether they are eligible for a card. 

The online application system will open on a staggered basis in order to cope with demand. The first round of applications will open on 11 September and the second will open on 13 November.

People can apply on the HSE website . 

Announcing the expansion in Finglas today, Donnelly said: “For the first time in the history of our State, over half the population will have access to free GP care.

“It’s been targeted very carefully based on median income, and then universality for children. There are a lot of families out there who up until now have not qualified for a medical card, they haven’t qualified for the GP card, and they really can’t afford the fees,” he said.

He said people feel that they “have not had the choice to go to the GP” due to the cost involved, adding that “that is not something we want to see”.

“We want to see everyone able to access their doctor or their local nurse in a GP practice when they need it or when their child needs it, and that really is the group of people that this is focused on.”

Registration for free GP care for children aged six and seven opened earlier this month. Children under 6 years of age have been eligible for GP Visit Cards since 2015.

Donnelly also said that he will not be pushing for further expansion of free GP care in the upcoming Budget. 

He said he believes the Government has “pushed that as far as it can be pushed” without creating problems with accessing services for patients. 

 The free care scheme has been controversial with GP groups. Earlier this year, the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP)  warned that if more people become medical card holders, they will struggle to get an appointment .

Speaking to reporters, the Minister said the Government had committed to an expansion of the service for children under 12, but said that it did not have a commitment up to the median income.

“We’re doing some of the journey up to the under 12s, that is still government policy, so six and sevens obviously in the last few weeks, and then an additional 430,000 up to the median income,” he said.

“The GPS raised very legitimate concerns in terms of making sure that patients could get access, and the capacity of general practice to absorb this extra demand, which inevitably will follow.

“So I believe that we have pushed that as far as it can be pushed without creating other problems for all of the other patients in terms of access… I’m not anticipating nor will I be asking government for a further expansion in this coming Budget.”

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Social welfare Ireland: Major health boost for thousands as GP visit card changes come into effect in April

In the Budget earlier this year, it was announced that the income limit for the GP visit card would be increased to include more people, and that kids aged six and seven can also get GP cards

• 10:52, 16 MAR 2023

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Thousands of people living in Ireland are to set to benefit from a major healthcare boost as several changes will come into effect in April for GP visit cards.

In Budget 2023 , it was announced that the income limit for the HSE's GP visit card will be increased to include people on or below the median income from April 2023. It was also announced that GP cards for children aged under six years old will now also be extended to include children aged 6 and 7.

GP visit cards allow holders to visit participating family doctors for free, including during out-of-hours services and blood tests to diagnose or monitor a condition. Here's everything you need to know about who is eligible to get GP visit cards in April.

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What changes to GP cards was announced in the Budget?

In the Budget earlier this year, Cabinet agreed that from April 2023 HSE GP visit cards will be extended to children aged 6 and 7. Free GP cards were previously given to children under the age of six in Ireland, and this new change is sure to be welcomed among parents of school aged young children.

For adults, the income limit for the GP visit card will be increased to include people on a median household income of €46,000 or less from April 2023.

Who is eligible for GP visit cards?

Children aged under 7

In April, all children under six and seven years of age living in Ireland can get a GP visit card. The under 7s GP visit card covers free GP visits, assessments at ages two and five, GP home visits, out-of-hours urgent GP care and will also provide care for children with asthma.

However, it should be noted that medication costs and hospital charges are not covered in this scheme. To register your child for a GP visit card, you'll need to provide your PPS number, your child's PPS number and your GP's name.

Adults on Carer's Benefit or Carer's Allowance

If you get Carer's Benefit or Carer's Allowance at full or half-rate, you can visit your GP for free.

People aged over 70

The GP visit card is available to everyone aged over 70 without an income test. Pensioners of this age are entitled to free GP visit cards, and to register for this you'll need your PPS number and GP's name and number.

People under 70 on median income

If you are aged under 70, eligibility for the GP visit card is means tested. That is, your income is assessed by the HSE as part of the application process.

In April 2023, the income limit for the GP visit card will be increased to include people on a median household income of €46,000 or less. The rules for assessing the amount of your income if you're under 70 are the same as for the medical card means test for people under 70, but the income limits for the GP visit card are higher than those for the medical card.

The weekly income limits for a person aged under 66 are:

• Single person living with family - €304
• Single person living with family - €271
• Married or cohabiting couple (or lone parent with dependent children) - €441
• Allowance for each of first 2 children aged under 16 - €57
• Allowance for 3rd and for each subsequent child under 16 - €61.40
• Allowance for each of first 2 children aged over 16 (with no income) - €58.50
• Allowance for 3rd and for each subsequent child over 16 (with no income) - €64
• Each dependant over 16 years in full-time non-grant aided third-level - €117

How to do I apply for a GP visit card?

Applications for GP visit cards and medical cards are made through the same system. First, you will be assessed for a medical card and if you don't qualify, them you'll be assessed for a GP visit card.

Parents who wish to apply for a GP visit card for their children under the age of seven can apply online here . You'll need your child's PPS number and GP's name and number.

People aged over 70 who wish to apply for a GP visit card can apply online here with their PPS number, GP's name and number required. For Carers who wish to apply for a GP visit card, you can apply online here with your PPS number and GP's name and number needed.

If your application for a GP visit card is refused, you will receive a letter from the HSE to let you know. And the letter will also set out the reasons why your application has been refused, and if you wish to appeal the decision to have it reviewed for instance if you have a change of circumstance, or you may have left out some relevant information from the original application.

For more information and advice on HSE GP visit cards visit www.hse.ie

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Process for obtaining free GP visit cards needs to be simplified, says Donnelly

Less than 10 per cent of 400,000 newly eligible people have availed of scheme.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said consultants and management at University Hospital Limerick had a role to play in improving the situation there. Photograph: Fintan Clarke/Coalesce

The extended GP card scheme should be made easier to avail of, the Minister for Health has said at the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) conference in Killarney.

Stephen Donnelly said take-up of the free GP visit cards had been “poor”, but that action was being taken to improve the complicated application system.

The scheme was expanded last year when it was intended an additional 430,000 people would be able to see a doctor for free, but take-up has been less than 10 per cent, with doctors reporting patients who are either unaware of their entitlement or deterred by the complexity involved in obtaining one.

“There hasn’t been enough of a campaign to let patients know it’s available,” says Dr Madeleine Ní Dhálaigh, a member of the IMO’s GP committee who is based in Castlerea, Co Roscommon.

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“I regularly have individuals or young families in who I feel would fall under the threshold and mention it to them but they don’t know anything about it.

“The ones that do say the process of making the application on the website is quite complicated, because it takes into account both income and expenditure income. It could be a very valuable card for young families to have but I think that’s why the take-up has been so bad.”

On Friday, Mr Donnelly acknowledged the issue, telling IMO members take up had been “poor” but insisting the Health Service Executive would act to improve the situation.

“There’s been a very high uptake by parents for the seven- and eight-year-olds,” he said. But the uptake for people up to the median income has been very low.

“I’ve asked the HSE to review it urgently and to come back to me. My sense is it’s because it’s just too complex. I think the application forms are too complex. I think asking people to try and estimate whether they are at the median income ... I think it just needs to be simplified because fully free access to GP care will make a big, big difference to over 400,000 people in the country who have yet to take it up.

“I think we need more awareness. We probably need a broader communications plan. But ultimately, my sense is we need to make it simpler. That can be addressed and has to be addressed in the short term.”

Asked about characterisation by the Mid-West Hospital Campaign of his interventions at University Hospital Limerick as “sticking plasters”, Mr Donnelly reiterated that the Government had provided substantial backing for the facility, including 1,100 additional healthcare staff during the lifetime of this Government. He said the hospital’s consultants, as its senior clinical leadership, had a key role to play now in improving patient flow.

The Minister said, meanwhile, that 49.1 per cent of the country’s 4,300 hospital consultants have now signed the public-only contract.

Asked about suggestions that some physician associates might have been asked to fill gaps in doctors’ rosters in Irish hospitals on occasion, Mr Donnelly said he was unaware of any specific cases and that anyone who was should highlight the issue.

A significant number of instances of the practice have been reported in the UK.

“We cannot have any healthcare professional who is not a doctor asked to work as a doctor,” he said. “I think there were cases cited in the UK but everyone needs to work within their licence and their training.”

IMO president Dr Denis McCauley said the organisation was concerned that physician associates, a new grade of healthcare professional of whom there are only a very small number at present in Ireland, might be hired by hospitals “to mask the shortage of doctors”. The role, the IMO has said, needs to be “carefully regulated”.

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Emmet Malone

Emmet Malone is Work Correspondent at The Irish Times

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Budget 2023: 430,000 people will get free GP visit card and hospital charges to be scrapped

The details of Budget 2023 will finally be announced this afternoon, and it has emerged Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has secured funding to make healthcare more affordable

• 07:47, 27 SEP 2022
• Updated 18:58, 27 SEP 2022

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430,000 people will have access to a free GP visit card under new plans to be announced in the Budget this afternoon.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has secured funding to expand the free GP visits to nearly half a million people.

This means that 2.5 million people, i.e. half the population, will have access to a medical card or GP visit card, both of which allows recipients to access GP services for free.

Read more: Cheapest way to heat your home during the cost of living crisis - electric vs gas

The new scheme will formally be announced in this afternoon's Budget, as well as plans to abolish hospital charges for all adults, the Irish Independent reports.

It was recently revealed that the Government would put an end to hospital charges for children under 16.

But now, the Health Minister plans to extend this to all adults.

In other Budget news, the government has agreed to increase weekly social welfare payments and the state pension by €12 going forward.

Other measures expected to be included are a €500 tax credit for renters which will take immediate effect.

In an effort to tackle rising energy costs, it has been reported that each household in the country will be paid €600 energy credits, in three instalments of €200.

The first one will be paid before Christmas , while the other two will be paid in the new year.

Other measures expected to be announced include a double child benefit payment for families and free textbooks for primary school children from September 2023.

Students will get a €1,000 cut to their third level fees this year and a €500 cut for 2023 that will be subject to a family income cap of €100,000 annually.

Childcare costs are set to be addressed with fees to be halved by 50% over the next two budgets, with a reduction of €200 due this year.

Petrol and diesel prices are also a topic of discussion, with the government hoping to tackle this by extending the reduction in excise duty on petrol and diesel, and more reductions could also be introduced.

It has also been reported parents could be in line to receive a one-off payment for Child Benefit and a one-off double Working Family Payment.

Recipients of Child Benefit could be given a one-off payment of €280 if they have one child, or €560 if they have two.

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Budget 2023: GP warns free visit cards will lead to 'huge waiting lists'

Vivienne Clarke

Killarney GP Gary Stack has warned that plans to give a GP visit card to 430,000 in the budget will lead to waiting lists for GP appointments and put pressure on primary care.

Dr Stack told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland that the proposal will affect patients who need care. “It's going to result in delays in care, it's going to result in delayed investigation and treatment in hospital. I think the legacy of this Minister will be a legacy of GP waiting lists which didn't exist prior to his entry here.

“There just is not the population of GPs to service the level of care that the Government wish to provide.

'Political sop'

“This to me is a political sop, there's no medical benefit in doing this, we already have huge waiting lists in secondary care, we don't want to bring those waiting lists into primary care, we want to provide the best care we can, but if they are doubling the visiting rate - that cannot be coped with in general practice in-hours or out-of-hours.”

In the UK efforts were being made to reduce GP waiting lists while the situation appeared to be going in the opposite direction in Ireland, he added. “There will be no extra access to primary care services, just a free visit to a GP, a saving of around €50 on average.”

The free visit card would put “huge pressure” on the primary care system, particularly the out-of-hours service as many patients do not have a GP.

Out-of-hours

“We see lots of patients who don't have a GP and that falls into out-of-hours putting huge pressure on out-of-hours and the service we're trying to provide when really they need a GP for continuing care and follow up.

“I don't think any GPs were expecting 430,000 divided between 3,000 GPs... that is almost 150 extra GP visit cards per patient.

“We were told during Covid to follow the science, the science of this basically is anybody with free access there will be a doubling of visits to GPs per year, so it will go from three to six, that's an extra three visits per GP, that's 450 visits in the year, or nine each week, an extra two and a quarter hours plus 50 per cent on top of that for paperwork, so that's an extra three to three and a half hours work per week. But there aren't GPs there to fulfill that.”

The concerns of GPs were not in relation to the contract for medical cards, it was a manpower issue, explained Dr Stack.

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GP visit cards

If you have a GP visit card, you don't have to pay to see your doctor. You will have to pay for medicines and other services.

If you have a medical card, you don't need a GP visit card.

General GP visit card

Anyone age 8 to 69 can apply for a GP visit card.

Read more and apply online for a general GP visit card .

Over 70s GP visit card

If you are over 70, you can register for an over 70s GP visit card.

Read more and register online for the over 70s GP visit card .

Under 8s GP visit card

If you have a child under 8, you can register for an under 8s GP visit card.

Read more and register online for an under 8s GP visit card .

Carers GP visit card

If you get Carer’s Benefit or Carer’s Allowance, at full or half rate, you can visit your GP for free.

Read more and register online for the carers GP visit card .

Check the status of a registration

You can use your reference number to check the status of your GP visit card registration online.

When you apply online, you get a reference number at the end of the application process.

When you apply by post and give a mobile number, we send a reference number by text. If you don't give a mobile number, we send a reference number by post.

Enter your application form in the field where it says 'Track your application'.

Check to see if a card is still valid

You can also use our online eligibility status check to see if your card is still valid.

Page last reviewed: 20 January 2023

BUDGET 2023: 430,000 to get free GP visit card but where are the doctors to treat us?

Today's budget sees a range of measures aimed at cutting healthcare costs for families, but with an extreme shortage of GPs in Meath, questions as to how the new measures will work have been raised.

An additional 430,000 are to get a free GP visit card and while there is a shortage of GPs across the country, in Meath it is particularly acute with just one GP per 3,059 people - nearly four times the national average of one per every 861 people.

Other healthcare measures include the abolition of in-patient hospital fees, free contraception to women up to the age of 30 and a publicly funded IVF scheme, which is set to be phased in.

Navan GP, Dr Seamus McMenamin said there was a concern over capacity, because of the shortage of GPs.

"Patients are having difficulty getting to see GPs because of the shortage of doctors.

"When we see the results of the latest census, Meath may have the lowest ratio of doctors in the country.

"Capacity is a major stumbling block. What value has a free GP card is you cannot get to see a doctor," he asked.

Dr McMenamin said it would also affect the NEDOC out of hours services, as people turn to them if they cannot get to see their own GP.

Meath's extreme shortage of GPs has been highlighted by Cllr Emer Toibin.

"According to 2018 figures, the Irish Patient Association points to a national average of one GP per 861 people. In Meath, we are facing the grim prospect of one GP per 3,059 people - nearly four times the national average," she said.

"So many constituents come into the Aontú constituency office looking to get an appointment with their existing GP or to get onto a waiting list for a GP practice if they are new to the area," she said.

As a result of a parliamentary question asking how many GPs are working in Meath and the numbers in practice for each of the last five years, she learned that there are 72 working in the county this year compared to 70 last year, 72 in 2020 , 69 in 2019 and 67 in 2018.

"This response was stark and far far worse than expected and throws light on why so many people are struggling to get an appointment for weeks on end. In effect, the number of GPs to a population of over 220,000 people falls way below safe levels of GP healthcare access. It begs the question as to why patients in this county are completely being failed by the HSE in terms of GP resources."

"We have shocking difficulty in accessing hospital care - nearly one million people are awaiting hospital care nationally. We have long delays in accessing A & E care and we have to wait weeks to see a GP.

"To further compound Meath's abysmal provision of healthcare access, the HSE, the Minister of Health and this government want to close our Emergency Department in Navan and replace it with a GP referral system for access to a Medical Assessment Unit.

"I for one would love to hear the Minister explain how this proposed reconfiguration could possibly work."

Cllr Toibin advised anyone looking for a GP who received three refusals from medical centres or individual GPs, to send an email to

[email protected] and detail the names of the three GPs and the reasons you were not admitted on their lists (usually full).

"The HSE must then allocate a GP to you," she said.

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Extension of free GP visit card after Budget 2023

• Thread starter Passport1
• Start date 17 Jan 2023

Registered User

• 17 Jan 2023

As part of the budget last Oct it was announced that the free GP card scheme would be extended to cover from April 1, 2023, those with a net median household income of €46,000 or less. What does net median household income of 46k or less mean ? What is the process to apply for the free GP card or is it open yet? Thanks  

• 18 Jan 2023

Passport1 said: As part of the budget last Oct it was announced that the free GP card scheme would be extended to cover from April 1, 2023, those with a net median household income of €46,000 or less. What does net median household income of 46k or less mean ? What is the process to apply for the free GP card or is it open yet? Thanks Click to expand...

Purple said: Then there's the fact that GP's get paid more per consultation for public patients than they get for private patients. They state is paying them a premium for operating in the protected sector. Click to expand...

Doctors critical of extension of free GP care announced in budget

mct1 said: GPs are paid an annual capitation fee per medical/GP cardpatient regardless of the frequency of consultations. Overall those with cards consult more often so unless we can magically appear more GPs from somewhere, Click to expand...

mct1 said: it seems inevitable that practices will struggle to see everyone. Most GPs don't want more patients at any price - just ask them. Doctors critical of extension of free GP care announced in budget Budget 2023: IMO says free GP care for 400,000 patients will create hospital-like waiting lists at practices www.irishtimes.com Click to expand...

Early Riser

Purple said: when total payments are divided by total consultations they make more money from a public consultation than a private one. Click to expand...

Early Riser said: If the public system is so lucrative it seems strange that GPs have been so reluctant about any extension of the public scheme (past and present). Anyway, the capitation amount does not appear exorbitant. I assume the higher amount is for the elderly, who use the GP practice a lot (and not just to see the GP): "Ireland uses the capitation system by paying GPs sums varying from €52 to €326 depending on the age of the patient." I think that any system that is totally free will be undervalued and overused - and paralysed by waiting times. I would welcome a public scheme to cover everyone but with some type of payment included. Not necessarily the same as any of these but using the same principle: "France, where a typical fee is €7.50 and a yearly cap of €50 applies. In Norway, the co-payment is €16-34, with a yearly cap of €233." (Paul Cullen , IT, https://www.irishtimes.com/health/2...ll-well-and-good-if-there-are-enough-doctors/ ) Click to expand...

NoRegretsCoyote

Everyone should have to pay even €5 to visit a GP.  

Protocol said: Here are the capitation rates in 2019: View attachment 7124 Click to expand...

Purple said: We also need to remember that we have a lucrative industry training doctors from other countries who are often obliged to go home after their training. The medical sector constantly misrepresent this (lies about it) as graduates emigrating after graduation because of the pay and/or conditions in Ireland. Click to expand...

Purple said: The medical sector constantly misrepresent this (lies about it) as graduates emigrating after graduation because of the pay and/or conditions in Ireland. Click to expand...

Purple said: We train more doctors per capita than any other country in the world. The problem isn't a lack of numbers, it's a lack of GP's who want to work fulltime. Click to expand...

Early Riser said: You seem to be conflating several different issues. Click to expand...

Early Riser said: Medical schools in Ireland rely excessively on extracting funds from non-Irish/EU medical students. (Similar to the the UK reliance in foreign student fees). I seem to recall from the 20-odd year old Indecon report that the cost of educating Irish students in our medical schools is substantially subsidised by the fees from overseas students. In so far as this has changed in the interim I guess it is only to increase the level of cross-subsidisation. If we want to change this there would seem to be a funding issue to be addressed. Click to expand...

Early Riser said: Yes, many of these overseas students will leave Ireland after graduation by choice. Until recently, at least, many also left because of the difficulty they had in accessing postgraduate medical training programmes as non-irish nationals. Something which doctors organisations had made representations about for years. Separately from this many Irish graduates are emigrating after initial internship and many cite pay and conditions. Click to expand...

Early Riser said: Your claim that the medical sector is "lying" about this seems well over the top (whichever "motives" you are attributing to them). Click to expand...

Early Riser said: Do you think we need more GPs working in Ireland or not? Click to expand...

Purple said: Exactly. But that's not how the medical sector present it. Click to expand...

Purple said: What would you call it? Click to expand...

mct1 said: We train more doctors per capita than any other OECD country (not "in the world"). And we have one of the lowest per capita number of doctors. Even then most doctors do not wish to train as GPs. One factor identified in a recent study is that medical students often have relatively little exposure to general practice during their course. And then of those who do complete their 4 year post-grad GP work-training many soon leave the country. So lack of numbers would in fact seem to be a significant contributor to the problem. Click to expand...

mct1 said: As to the "lack of GPs who want to work full-time" many of these are opting for less money in exchange for a better work-life balance. I see that as a positive thing, and hardly the act of someone largely "motivated by profit and income". Click to expand...

mct1 said: We train plenty of doctors but we need to make GP a more attractive (not more lucrative) profession than it currently is or the drain will continue. Click to expand...

mct1 said: Overloading GPs with more patients and more consultations before sorting out the groundwork is not the way to go. Click to expand...

Early Riser said: Then we have been hearing different reports. Or selectively listening. Click to expand...

Early Riser said: I would say it is a lie to claim this. Or maybe that is a gross exaggeration? Click to expand...

Purple said: Do we need to improve the training of doctors so that they have more exposure to General Practice? Click to expand...

Purple said: As things currently stand only 50% of any extra training places we create will result in a extra doctor in Ireland since 50% of our trainees are not from here and won't be staying here. Click to expand...

Purple said: Okay, so you would say that it's a lie. Maybe misrepresenting the truth for their own gain would be a better way of putting it. Click to expand...

Purple said: The medical sector constantly misrepresent this ( lies about it ) Click to expand...

Purple said: Do we need to improve the training of doctors so that they have more exposure to General Practice? What proportion of the doctors who complete their 4 year post-grad GP work-training are foreign students/graduates who were never going to stay here in the first place? Click to expand...

Early Riser said: Are you talking about undergraduate training? Click to expand...

Early Riser said: If so, if we want more Irish undergradutes then we have to address the funding. We are already relying on foreign student fees to subsidise medical college costs. We do not have to double the number or foreign high fee-paying students to do this. Click to expand...

Early Riser said: No, I am suggesting this was a lie (or maybe just a misrepresentation of the truth would be a better way of putting it?): Click to expand...

mct1 said: I think you may be mixing up the foreign (non EU) doctors who graduate then leave the country, with those who apply, are accepted for, and complete the ICGP 4 year GP scheme. Click to expand...

mct1 said: The latter are almost without exception undertaking this with the intention of eventually going into practice in this country. Click to expand...

mct1 said: One reason they might have left after completing it would be if they were unable to secure a practice to work in. Click to expand...

mct1 said: It's their Irish colleagues who head off to Australia and Canada where jobs and the whole work-life balance are more attractive. You can't blame them either. Click to expand...