GP visit cost

Mac36

Registered User
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Hi, a friend of mine visited her GP yesterday in Dublin. He took a throat swab, blood tests and a urine sample. He charged her E250 for this. Surely this is way too much? I would appreciate any comments or suggestions as to what she can do?

Thanks.

I forgot to add that the Doctor wrote a prescription as well.
 
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That's three tests done - all included in the fee. If she (or you) is really excited about it, maybe she should call another doctor and ask for an estimate for the same work. She should also query it with the doctor as they may be able to tell her (for e.g.) that it's €60 for each of the tests to be performed. The only sensible thing to do is to ask the doctor directly.
 
GPs usually have a price list displayed in the waiting area - maybe check that?

I would agree with previous poster - query the GP directly.
 
Hi, the query is about a friend. I live in the country and my gp visits for a year might not come to E250. As far as I know she asked the doctor about the price and he replied that was how much it was (end of). She plans to contact the surgery today and request a breakdown of costs.

Thanks for your replies so far. :)
 
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Maybe this incudes not only the testing but the processing? I mean, I guess someone has to pay the lab techs for processing those results.
 
Hi all my friend tells me that there is no price list on display in the surgery? I guess its possible that the processing charges are included but is the charge still not very high??

:(
 
it is exactly this kind of rip off that puts me off moving back to Ireland. people complain about the NHS here in UK which i dont understand, but i can have any amount of tests done for free, see the doctor or practice nurse for free as many times as i want and pay about £7 for my prescription and also free smear tests which i believe you have to pay about 60 euros for in Ireland. Doctors and the rest of the professions have a license to print money in Ireland and something should be done about it.
 
OP - get your friend to phone another GP in the area and ask how much the same thing would cost as a comparison? (Or pop into another surgeries waiting room and read the fees displayed)

A GP can refer someone to a public hospital for blood tests etc... and that can mean ages waiting in queues and then ages waiting for results etc....

It seems your friend has paid for a private service (although I agree it sounds pricey).
 
I'm confused, did he examine the samples and give the results or just take samples? If I have a problem I go to the doctor and she might take a blood sample or not and send it off but I pay separately for the analysis and just the normal doctors fee for the visit. I'm not in Ireland but it was the same when I was.
 
Mosstown that sounds like a good service to me. This doctor only accepts cash. So it would certainly appear to be a license to print money! Thanks for your reply.

Hi truthseeker thanks for your reply. Will a gp's office give out that information? Are they obliged to do so?

Another thought should the doctor have forewarned my friend of the cost implications of the tests he proposed to do? She tells me he didn't give her any indication, did the tests and then told her the price?

Thanks all. :)
 
I'm confused, did he examine the samples and give the results or just take samples? If I have a problem I go to the doctor and she might take a blood sample or not and send it off but I pay separately for the analysis and just the normal doctors fee for the visit. I'm not in Ireland but it was the same when I was.


Hi Bronte, the doctor did the tests and sent them off. He did check the urine sample.
 
Hi truthseeker thanks for your reply. Will a gp's office give out that information? Are they obliged to do so?

I dont know - but phoning and asking can only result in a no at worst - considering that (in my GPs office anyway) there is a price list on open display (in fact you can see it from outside the practice too) I shouldnt imagine they wouldnt give out that information.

Another thought should the doctor have forewarned my friend of the cost implications of the tests he proposed to do? She tells me he didn't give her any indication, did the tests and then told her the price?

My GP does tend to forewarn me if the cost goes over a standard visit (for example I queried about freezing off a small wart and she said that she would charge X for that but if I went to the chemist and got the over the counter stuff itd only cost me Y).
 
There is no doubt Mosstown is right - doctors have licence to print money. Despite all the gloom etc local doctors increased visit fees from €40 to €50 on 1st January. My daughter brought her child last week thinking thinking her child had chicken pox. In 30 seconds the doctor confirmed the child did not have chicken pox - charge €50.
 
There is no doubt Mosstown is right - doctors have licence to print money. Despite all the gloom etc local doctors increased visit fees from €40 to €50 on 1st January. My daughter brought her child last week thinking thinking her child had chicken pox. In 30 seconds the doctor confirmed the child did not have chicken pox - charge €50.

I have to disagree with this - your daughter chose to bring her child to a doctor - what would you have the doctor do - only charge when someone IS sick?
You are paying for their professional expertise - its not the doctors fault that sometimes people are not actually sick when they go to the doctor.
 
I went to the doctor about 6 months ago she did a full medical for which I paid €55 I then had to go back and get my bloods done and give a urine sample this cost me another GP visit of €55. When I went back to redo a test and get results the charge was €15. I'm also in Dublin €250 seems extortinate
 
They possibly do make decent money but so would you if you spent 6-7 years of hard work in university. They make this money for a reason.

250 for 3 tests and a prescription is not excessive - these tests need quatitative analysis, this is hardly free taking the samples was the easy bit.

See how far 250 quid goes at the opticians or dentist???
 
That does seem like a lot of money, unless it included the full cost of the analysis?

AFAIK, there is now a free scheme to get a smear test done, though I'm overdue to get one done now :)

How many doctors surgeries have a price list displayed? I have never seen this.
 
Thanks for all your replies. My friend rang her doctor to request a breakdown of the charges for last nights visit. The receptionist told her that she could not give her that information and she would have to speak directly to the doctor. They took her number. Will post any update.
 
Hi Mac 36,
I work in the same area & your friend has been screwed & that GP should be reported.However I find it nearly impossible to believe that he/she was charged this much.If true,it should be reported!
 
Hi Mac 36,
I work in the same area & your friend has been screwed & that GP should be reported.However I find it nearly impossible to believe that he/she was charged this much.If true,it should be reported!


Hi JohnnyBoy, thanks for your reply. She was charged E 250 for the tests as outlined in my first post and the writing of a prescription. The cost of filling the prescription was another E 40 so in total her visit to the GP cost her E290. Where can she go to report this?

p.s. she has the bill to prove the charges. :(
 
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