Doctors representatives and the Health Service Executive (HSE) held more than 10 hours of talks at the Labour Relations Commission today over the issue of doctor-only medical cards.
However, it is believed the talks ended without agreement.
Plans by the Government to introduce 200,000 of the new cards, which would offer patients free medical care but not drugs or medicines, were announced last November but have been held up by a row with the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) which represents GPs.
IMO members voted last month to operate the new scheme on foot of a €93 million deal with the HSE on a range of outstanding issues, which was brokered by the LRC.
However new difficulties arose within weeks of this ballot being carried. A new sticking point is whether patients who are given a doctor-only card will receive a full card when they turn 70 and how much GPs will be paid for providing care in such circumstances.
