Tax proposal 'will force GPs to retire or withdraw' from General Medical Card Scheme

A spokesperson for the Irish Medical Organisation said that Revenue's plan would negatively impact patients.

Plans to change how medical card income is taxed will drive doctors from the scheme, it has been warned.

GPs practicing under the General Medical Card Scheme (GMS) often lodge money from it and from private patients into a partnership bank account of the practice which can cover costs of running including lighting, heating, insurance, and staff costs. The doctors themselves then will take an annual salary and are taxed from the salary they receive from the practice.