New membership system allows patients to visit their doctor as often as they want at no extra charge, writes FIONA REDDAN
THE recession trundles on, but GP prices remain stubbornly high. Last month, one member of the “troika” ruling Ireland’s public finances, declared that professionals such as GPs were charging double the price for their services compared with other EU countries.
While GPs argue that this is due to the overall costs involved in running a practice, such as employing nurses and secretaries, this doesn’t make it any easier for patients to stomach the cost. You can typically expect to pay €45-€55 to see a GP in Ireland, and even more in the capital.
Now the Irish Private Medical Centre (IPMC) in Sandyford, Co Dublin, is hoping to offer an alternative. The two-member practice, set up in October, runs on a membership basis, offering unlimited GP visits for a flat fee.
According to David Howard, managing director of the practice, the idea came about because one of the shareholders of the company, who is a doctor, identified that private patient visits tend to be quite low in a typical GP practice compared to those with medical cards.
“They would come and look for a diagnosis on multiple conditions in order to pay the one fee, and the barrier to coming more often was the fee,” he notes.
Now the IPMC hopes that it has a more affordable option for those who need frequent GP visits. So how does it work?
By becoming a member of the IPMC you can attend your GP as often as you like for a flat fee; for an adult the cost is €15 a month, or €180 a year. For a family with three children the cost is €30 a month, or €360 a year; while for the over-55s, the cost is €10 a month, or €120 a year.
Based on an average cost of €55 in Dublin, if you make more than three visits a year you will start to save money, while a family of five will only have to pay for 6½ visits; and if you’re over 55 you will get the best deal, as after two visits you will start to save money.
According to Howard, the response to date has been “amazing”, with people signing up from a cross-section of these categories.
The IPMC will guarantee its rates for the next three years, and as it doesn’t have a GMS list for medical-card holders, it will be run only for its private members. The Sandyford practice is open late on Wednesdays, and on Saturdays from 9am to 1pm.
The long-term plan for the IPMC is to roll out the concept – throughout Dublin initially, and then nationwide. However, potential members who have private health insurance policies should first check what reimbursement they may be entitled to from their insurer.
According to the VHI, for example, while it notes that the IPMC’s offer is a “new and interesting approach”, it is unable to comment on potential reimbursement as it is as yet unfamiliar with the scheme.
Based on an average cost of €55 in Dublin, if you make more than three visits a year to your GP you will start to save money
