Doctors may charge for A&E treatment

PRIVATE patients may be forced to pay for treatment they receive from accident and emergency consultants.

The VHI and BUPA Ireland are in dispute with A&E consultants, and are refusing to pay them for work carried out in the emergency room.

Consultants are demanding payment for their services and are considering directly billing patients. It would then be up to patients to seek reimbursement from the VHI or BUPA.