Review of medical cards not in recent use

UP TO 50,000 people who have not used their medical cards recently could lose them under a review currently under way.

Minister for Health James Reilly last night said 50,000 people who had not used their medical cards in the last five to 24 months – having neither received a prescription nor a special consultation from their GP – had been written to three times by the HSE to check their current status.

He said GPs would also be contacted about the patients concerned before medical cards were removed. Patients could have seen GPs without receiving a prescription, which would not register with the HSE.

He said ultimately up to 119,000 people who had not used their medical cards recently would be reviewed.

The Minister said that, following the clearing of a backlog of more than 54,000 applications for medical cards, the HSE would now focus on probity in relation to medical cards.

He said a recent report by consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers suggested that between €65 million and €210 million could be being paid out in respect of persons who were ineligible for medical cards, who had left the country or who had died.

For example, in the absence of any details on medical card patients who have left the country, GPs continue to be paid capitation fees and other allowances.

The initiative to review medical cards is one of a number of steps which are being taken by the Department of Health and the HSE to address a €124 million overspend since the start of the year.

Dr Reilly said 15 hospitals accounted for 80 per cent of overspending in the hospital sector.

He said a “quartet” of senior Department of Health and HSE personnel would visit these hospitals to monitor the situation.

The Minister also said that €12 million of the overrun was due to uncollected income. Progress was being made in getting consultants to sign forms for insurance companies on time. However, there were problems with insurance companies delaying payments pending further information.

The Minster said if co-operation was not forthcoming from insurance companies on payment of money owed then the regulator for the sector, the Health Insurance Authority, would be asked to take action.

If legislation was needed, including for the provision of fines, it would be considered.

The Minister said the HSE’s service plan for the year would be reviewed to take account of the departure of about 4,500 staff. However he would be fighting to prevent any further diminution in service.