Doctors, employers meet over medical cards

GPs are meeting with Health Service Employers Agency representatives tonight to try and resolve a row over the Government's plan to introduce free medical cards for all over-70s.

Doctors have opposed the scheme since its inception in the last budget. They describe it as unjust because it ignores people in the lower-income groups. The scheme is due to be introduced on July 1st.

A £10 million payment to cater for the extra workload associated with the scheme has been rejected by doctors.

Irish Medical Organisation GP committee member Dr James Reilly said scarce resources should be prioritised for those in the greatest need.

"There are a quarter of a million people at the margins and in the lower-income groups who have no medical card at the moment," he said.

"It is quite a cynical move on the part of the politicians to garnish votes in an area they know they'll reap a rich harvest because middle classes tend to vote, whereas the lower classes, the poorer classes, and poorer low-income groups don't," Dr Reilly said.

But Mr Brendan Mulligan, industrial relations chief at the HSEA, said that following the rejection of the £10 million offer they asked doctors to join the HSEA in arbitration - an offer that was rejected.

He said doctors were seeking a fee-per-item payment structure that was not on the table.