Can Doctors charge for routine Blood Tests ??

Garp242

Can Doctors charge for routine Blood Tests ??

Recently a notice went up in my doctors waiting room, stating that in future there will be a charge for Blood Tests - "Private Patients - €20, Medical Card Holders - €15"... In the past, there was no charge for this service.

But the HSE website states that ... "Routine blood tests where the service is part of the investigation and necessary treatment of your symptoms or condition" ... are free of charge.

So ... Are Doctors allowed to charge for this service ??

homer911

well i paid E25 recently, cant imagine it being free in a GP surgery

my3cents

I'll check with my neighbor that works in one of the test labs but afaik the actual testing has always been free, doctors can however charge for their time spent taking the samples and then interpreting the results.

njs030

I think they can charge if you request it but if it's blood tests that are needed for investigation or part of an ongoing illness then its free.
It's probably to stop people demanding blood tests every 5 minutes.

I can't imagine them charging patients with actual illnesses that need regular blood tests.

jimmycrackcorm

It would be worth querying the charge work the doctor if you're paying 40 - 50 already, why you have top pay extra when the HSE aren't charging for the actual testing.

BAAA RAM EWE

notjustsweet wrote: »

I think they can charge if you request it but if it's blood tests that are needed for investigation or part of an ongoing illness then its free.
It's probably to stop people demanding blood tests every 5 minutes.

I can't imagine them charging patients with actual illnesses that need regular blood tests.

This^^

Alot on Med Cards develop phantom illnesses and have paths wore into their GPs looking for tests for something they read on facebook.

GhostyMcGhost

Garp242 wrote: »

Can Doctors charge for routine Blood Tests ??

Recently a notice went up in my doctors waiting room, stating that in future there will be a charge for Blood Tests - "Private Patients - €20, Medical Card Holders - €15"... In the past, there was no charge for this service.

But the HSE website states that ... "Routine blood tests where the service is part of the investigation and necessary treatment of your symptoms or condition" ... are free of charge.

So ... Are Doctors allowed to charge for this service ??

??? It'd always been €80 for bloods for me for as long as I remember

€60 doctor
€20 bloods

Taking medication that requires blood tests about 3-4 times a year

r93kaey5p2izun

My GP charges but you have the option to go to a hospital blood test clinic for free with note.

my3cents

BAAA RAM EWE wrote: »

This^^

Alot on Med Cards develop phantom illnesses and have paths wore into their GPs looking for tests for something they read on facebook.

A lot of GP's abuse the system anyway by sending blood tests off without doing any diagnosis themselves first. My doctor gets upset if he can't find a recent set of blood tests (done with in the last year) on the system whenever I see him and insists I have "bloods" as they call it done. Total waste of every ones time and the states money.

Stheno

Emma Mysterious Visitor wrote: »

My GP charges but you have the option to go to a hospital blood test clinic for free with note.

Same here

BAAA RAM EWE

GhostyMcGhost wrote: »

??? It'd always been €80 for bloods for me for as long as I remember

€60 doctor
€20 bloods

Taking medication that requires blood tests about 3-4 times a year

He must love seeing you come in.

LynnGrace

Have always had to pay at my surgery.

martingriff

If I ever got my bloods done once a year I have been charged for the appointment which I suppose included getting them done. I would not have thought it be free. Now it was cheaper than going into my doctor when sick.

As other have said I would assume the charge is for if you came is just for bloods. Is the charge just for that I would be asking. Also I be asking is it 20/15 for everything or would x be included for booking an appointment.

tayto lover

45 euro for doctor.
20 euro for blood test.

A feckin rip-off.

Toots

AFAIK if you go to your local hospital it's free, but if you go to your GP then you have to pay.

Edgarfrndly

I was with my previous GP for over ten years on my medical card and never had to pay for blood tests. But I recently moved to a new surgery as my old GP retired, and the new surgery charges 10 euro for blood tests.

Gooser14

According to the following extract from Citizens Information blood tests should be free for Medical Card Holders:

"Services provided by GPs under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme
The GP's contract with the HSE specifies the range of services that the doctor must provide for medical card holders. Broadly speaking, these services must be provided at the same level and on the same basis as services to the GP's private patients. This means that, for example, surgery times must be the same for all patients, access to home visits must be the same, etc.

Among the services that GPs provide for medical card holders are:

Consultation services at the GP's surgery or at your home as appropriate.
Proper and necessary treatment of a kind normally undertaken by a general practitioner; this is a matter of individual medical judgement but it also includes services such as immunisation and vaccination for children.
Prescriptions for drugs, medicines and appliances as required. In some cases, GPs dispense drugs and medicines.
Blood tests to diagnose or monitor a condition.
There are certain services that GPs are not obliged to provide free of charge, for example, eye tests for a driving licence or reports for life assurance. You may also be charged for medical certificates for absence from work. If you need a medical report to apply for a social welfare payment, the Department of Social Protection may cover the fee."

AndrewJRenko

GhostyMcGhost wrote: »

??? It'd always been €80 for bloods for me for as long as I remember

€60 doctor
€20 bloods

Taking medication that requires blood tests about 3-4 times a year

THat''s huge money. It might well be worth asking for a referral to your local hospital. My GP sends me to St Vincents every 2 or 3 years. He plans ahead, so he'll give me a referral form that will work 11 months ahead. He'll have the test results when I go back to him in 12 months time.

St Vincents are very efficient. You book your slot online, and you will be in and out in 5-10 minutes.

coylemj

Emma Mysterious Visitor wrote: »

My GP charges but you have the option to go to a hospital blood test clinic for free with note.

Free is now the only option I have. I get an annual blood test to track an indicator that I need to keep an eye on, I don't need a GP consultation.

My GP practice used to charge €20, the nurse normally took the sample but the practice doesn't do it anymore. What I do now is phone and tell them which test(s) I want, they fill out the form with the appropriate boxes ticked and I call to collect it. It's a form attached to a plastic bag which will hold the sample bottle(s).

I then make an appointment with either St. Vincents (web app) or St. Michaels (phone) and bring the form with me. The results are sent to my GP practice a few days later. I call to reception and they print it for me.

Hey! I said hey!

You have to pay at mine but you can go with a referral letter to the hospital to have it done free but you'd be waiting around a long time there usually

TerrorFirmer

In the past I've paid at my GP for blood tests that I requested but more recently when I needed blood tests due as part of an ongoing condition it didn't cost extra.

Tom Mann Centuria

My GP doesn't charge for blood tests, and he is never shy about taking bloods either. He's very good generally though, like charging less for kids, less for follow up visits that he asks for etc.

dev100

I think you pay for the service of a doctor or nurse to do the blood test and the courier fees but you don't pay for the actual testing of the blood.

fussyonion

My GP charges €20 for blood tests but you can request a form which you can take to the hospital and get the bloods done there for free (Medical card holders).
I don't think it's unfair to charge if he's giving the option of having it done elsewere for free.

Cabaal

Never paid for bloods over the years

Xterminator

tayto lover wrote: »

45 euro for doctor.
20 euro for blood test.

A feckin rip-off.

mines is €65 & €20

your getting a bargain.

GhostyMcGhost

Xterminator wrote: »

mines is €65 & €20

your getting a bargain.

Mine's pretty much same

Toots

dev100 wrote: »

I think you pay for the service of a doctor or nurse to do the blood test and the courier fees but you don't pay for the actual testing of the blood.

Yeah, I remember before the Cervical Check scheme came in, smear tests for medical card holders were free, but there was a €10 fee to cover the cost of the courier and also the disposal of the equipment (or something like that). I think it's the same with the bloods.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

tayto lover wrote: »

45 euro for doctor.
20 euro for blood test.

A feckin rip-off.

Then pay an additional 5% taxes or get yourself some decent medical cover. Some people really want everything for nothing...

coylemj

Benson Elegant Variation wrote: »

Then pay an additional 5% taxes or get yourself some decent medical cover. Some people really want everything for nothing...

That poster is already paying for the blood tests in his/her taxes. Anything beyond a nominal charge (for the doctor or nurse's time) of €20 is a rip-off because the actual blood tests don't cost the GP anything.

Charging the price of a full GP consultation plus €20 on top for the test is a monumental rip-off.

Xterminator

my GP employs a nurse who does the bloods. i don't think she is a volunteer - so IMO a change is understandable.