Harney issues medical card warning to GPs
The Tánaiste and Minister for Health Mary Harney has said that she may have to come up with alternatives if GPs refuse to co-operate with the doctors-only medical card scheme.
Ms Harney is threatening not to pay them the 9% pay rise due under the benchmarking process if progress is not made on the issue.
She said that it was a “dreadful indictment” of the health care system that up to 200,000 people still can't avail of free visits to their GP when the government is willing to pay for it.
The Tánaiste said, “There are talks before the LRC [Labour Relations Commission] this week but we can’t go on talking for ever – we will have to introduce an alternative if we can’t issue these cards.
“It may need a cash payment, a reimbursement of expenditure or some insurance based scheme but we are determined to ensure that up to 200,000 more people can have access to their doctor free of charge.”
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