Doctors (GP) Fees - No recession in my surgery

[liaconn]

How on earth can they justify this? That's pure greed. I assumed the reason for the initially higher charge was because the Consultant had to spend a certain amount of time asking questions in order to familiarise him/herself with your medical history,while subsequent visits tended to be much shorter.

 

[annet]

Consultant in question has been treating this particular issue in my OH for over 10 years now on and off (without getting too detailed, its a minor issue, more cosmetic than anything). Its not a case of not remembering, after a 2 year gap the charge is automatically reverted back to new patient charge for first consultation.

Unbelievable.... but I have to say the private health insurers have their role in this sorry mess thats Ireland's health service. I use to see it where patients would be admitted to hospital by consultants purely for investigations - that could very well have been done as an outpatient - but because of the charge that patients they were admitted as in-patients.... imagine the actual costs of an inpatient admission. Then scenarios would frequently arise where one consultant would refer to another consultant and you'd be wondering for what reason - and again they'd be getting a nice little fee. When they werent on the golf course they'd be popping their head around the door in the early morning just to say hi - and charging for the pleasure.

On another issue, I also reading in the Irish Medical News (June 29, 2009) the nice earner to the tune of €34 million that Ireland's GP's receive from the Department of Social Welfare for filling in their patients weekly illness benefit forms for their patients. An increase was apparently given in this summer where a GP now gets €8.25 per certificate and €44.44 per medical report when people are called before the medical referees in the Department?

 

[Purple]

Good post Annet. Add to that the extra days spent in hospital because the consultant doesn't bother to come in and discharge their patients.

 

[roker]

A few years ago I had a check up with a consultant and he sent me for an ultrasound scan; I paid him for the visit. I then had to return for another visit, I was less than 2 minutes, I did not even have time to sit downall, all he he said was everything was Ok, and tried to charge me another visit for which I refused. He could have told me over the phone and saved me time off work.

 

[liaconn]

Fair play to you. What kind of reaction did you get when you refused to pay?

 

[roker]

He kept sending bills untill I told him we would take it to the hospital board.
I told him that he was €x amount per hour and that he will soon be on more than M Jackson.

 

[Complainer]

Just came across this directory listing website for GP surgeries and other health clinics . Unfortunately, it looks like most GPs are listed as 'price on application', though my own GP has kindly listed his standard consultation price.

 

[sunrock]

In the u.k. where doctor visits are free,one has to have an appointment and the waitng room is full.
In ireland those who have to pay their 60e will think twice about going to their G.P.
Those on medical cards visit their doctors much more often.
If those on medical cards had to pay something like 5e to visit their doctor..it would make a lot more sense.

 

[smiley]

Those on medical cards visit their doctors much more often.
If those on medical cards had to pay something like 5e to visit their doctor..it would make a lot more sense.

Yes a small charge is an excellent idea for gp visits and prescriptions.

My own chemist told me last week that there is terrible waste. A lot of people with medical cards will often get things on prescription that they don't need at all. She said a small charge for each item..say 50c would stop a lot of this. The fact that people have to pay something will stop most from asking for it, and saving the state a fortune.

 

[franmac]

In the u.k. where doctor visits are free,one has to have an appointment and the waitng room is full.
In ireland those who have to pay their 60e will think twice about going to their G.P.
Those on medical cards visit their doctors much more often.
If those on medical cards had to pay something like 5e to visit their doctor..it would make a lot more sense.

I have a medical card and I certainly do not abuse it. I visit my doctor quarterly to have blood pressure etc checked and prescription renewed.

Other than that unless other problems arise and thankfully they are few and far between I don't visit because I have better things to do than sit for hours in a doctors waiting room.

 

[sunrock]

The problem is a lot of the medical card people use their doctor for very small concerns such as colds or ordinary headaches or just a bit of reassurance.Their doctor is typically very sympathetic and consoling and they meet friends in the waiting room and they don`t have a lot else to do.
My point is a small charge ..even 1 or 2 euros would remind them that they are in a buisness relationship with their doctor and that they would reduce the amount of doctors visits .

 

[Complainer]

The problem is a lot of the medical card people use their doctor for very small concerns such as colds or ordinary headaches or just a bit of reassurance.Their doctor is typically very sympathetic and consoling and they meet friends in the waiting room and they don`t have a lot else to do.
My point is a small charge ..even 1 or 2 euros would remind them that they are in a buisness relationship with their doctor and that they would reduce the amount of doctors visits .

I heard a Professor of Pharmacy on the radio during the week presenting the hard research showing that 'small charges' in relation to prescription drugs result in a significant number of people NOT getting the medication that they need.