Payments under the medical card scheme (GMS) are expected to exceed £750 million this year, according to the annual report of the General Medical Services (Payments) Board for 2000, published today.
Doctors in the State received £131 million under the GMS scheme.
Nine doctors saw their earnings top £200,000 last year, up from two in 1999, under the scheme, while 10 dentists were paid over £140,000. In 1999 just one dentist received this amount.
Over £644 million was made in payments by the Board in 2000, which represents an increase of £130 million from 1999.
However the number of people eligible for services dropped from 1.164 million in 1999 to 1.148 million in 2000.
The report also states that community pharmacists were paid over £150 million under community drug schemes, and 2.17 million people registered to benefit under the medical card, drugs payment, long-term illness and dental treatment schemes.
Fifteen pharmacists were paid over £120,000 in dispensing fees under the GMS scheme last year.
Over half the population availed of at least one of the services paid for by the Board last year, and over 88 per cent of medical card holders availed of GP, pharmaceutical, dental, or ophthalmic services. Thirty-two million prescription items were paid for by the Board, an increase of over 4 million from 1999.
According to the report, the extension of the Dental Treatment services for the 35 to 64 age group was a significant improvement last year.
Also the development of a new Central Client Eligibility Index (CCEI), which will allow for instance a pharmacist to check a customer’s eligibility for a service electronically, is progressing well. Patient files are being brought up to date, with existing medical cards being eventually replaced by a new swipe card.