GPs earn over €750k from card schemes

A NORTH DUBLIN GP clinic is being paid over three quarters of a million euro a year by the state to treat patients who cannot afford their own costs.

The figure has been revealed in the second part of a detailed analysis of the existing General Medical Services (GMS) contract system by the Irish Patients Association (IPA) provided to the Irish Examiner.

Dr Catherine Coleman, who runs the Berkley Clinic at Phibsboro, Dublin, was paid €767,108 for seeing medical and GP card patients and in practice supports in 2009 — the latest full-year data available.

In Donegal, Dr Anthony Delap’s practice was paid €754,305 during the same period. Dr Andrew Jordan’s clinic in Tallaght, south Dublin, whose clinic received another €718,333 in GMS payments and practice supports.

In Cork, the GMS payments list was topped by Dr Thomas J Molloy, the Charleville GP.

His total payments were €679,583. Cork’s second highest recipient was Dr George O’Mahony, based in Hollyhill on Cork city’s northside, whose practice was paid €662,740 in fees by the HSE.

In Kerry, the top paid doctor on the GMS list was Dr Donal Coffey, based in Killarney, who received €569,638 in payments, followed by Dr Patrick Joseph Daly, who received €544,609 for his practice.

In Clare, the top earner from the GMS and GP card list was Dr Michael Kelleher, who received €460,824 in payments from the State, while in Kilkenny Dr James Ryan received €510,373 for his Callan practice. In Waterford, Dr Kevin Collins was paid €587,269 for his clinic in Tramore.

In all, the figures show that a total of 58 GP clinics received over €500,000 for the service in 2009; 156 received €400,000 to €500,000; 379 received €300,000 to €400,000; and 615 received €200,000 to €300,000.

The independent report, led by IPA chairman Stephen McMahon and contributed to by leading economist Prof Ray Kinsella, said the figures “raise the question ‘is the model of reimbursement competitive and are the packages of care appropriate for the patient catchments areas of these individual practices?’”.

A HSE spokesman said management does not comment on GMS contract payments to GPs. However, drafting legislation making GMS contracts available to more GPs — meaning the system will be more competitive — has been earmarked by the Government as a priority.

The details emerged after the Irish Examiner revealed yesterday that 214,165 more people became eligible for medical and GP visit-only cards across the country between January 2010 and May this year.

This means 39% of the population is now entitled to the State-funded financial health support, up from 34% at the start of 2010.

In Donegal, the rate is 59%, while Dublin North West saw a 127% surge in GP visit-only card eligibility in the past year and a half.

Medical cards are available to a single person under the age of 66 with a weekly income of €184 (€201.50 if aged 66-69); a single person living with family earning €166 (€173.50); and a married/co-habiting/lone parent with children earning €266.50 (€298).

GP visit-only cards are given to a single person living alone earning €276 (€302); a single person living with family earning €246 (€260); and a married/co-habiting/lone parent with children earning €400 (€447).