GP gets €825k in medical card pay

One family doctor’s practice received over €825,000 in payments from the State for the treatment of medical-card patients last year.

Official figures provided by the HSE show the 100 top-earning GPs under the medical card and general medical services schemes claimed €46.7 million between them in 2013.

Overall, 21 GPs received payments of more than €500,000 each from the HSE for their participation in the schemes last year.

Dr Austin O’Carroll in Dublin topped the list of the highest-earning GPs under the schemes with a gross payment of €827,658.

This represents an increase of €32,244 compared with the previous year for Dr O’Carroll, despite cuts to doctors’ fees that were imposed by the Minister for Health last July.

He is followed on the list by Dr Catherine Coleman in Dublin North West, who received gross payments amounting to €682,180 including practice support in 2013.

Tallaght GP Dr Andrew Jordan was the third-highest earner under the State-sponsored medical schemes. He claimed €666,622 last year.

The highest-earning GP outside of Dublin was Dr Donal Coffey in Co Kerry, who received €586,659 in 2013. He is followed in the HSE South region by Dr William Gerard Lynch in Wexford, who earned €580,677.

Under the General Medical Services contract, GPs receive a range of fees and allowances in respect of each medical card and GP-visit card patient on their list.

Annual capitation payments are made to GPs regardless of whether or how often a patient visits their doctor during the year.