Doctors charges

shamdrog63

I am fostering a child and am required by TUSLA to complete a "Health Report" so I went to my GP with the form which requires him to answer 12 questions of a routine nature like "is the applicant in good health" or "is the applicant taking any form of regular medication".The only real question requiring him to do anything is t0 answer what height, weight I am plus my BMI and Blood Pressure.For this he requires payment of €104.55.I feel this is extortion.My partner had the same form filled out by her GP for €50.Who can I complain to?
I live in Drogheda by the way if anybody is curious.

Cabaal

shamdrog63 wrote: »

I am fostering a child and am required by TUSLA to complete a "Health Report" so I went to my GP with the form which requires him to answer 12 questions of a routine nature like "is the applicant in good health" or "is the applicant taking any form of regular medication".The only real question requiring him to do anything is t0 answer what height, weight I am plus my BMI and Blood Pressure.For this he requires payment of €104.55.I feel this is extortion.My partner had the same form filled out by her GP for €50.Who can I complain to?
I live in Drogheda by the way if anybody is curious.

Why not just go to the GP that charges 50e?

Doctors can charge varying fees, for example some might charge 60 for a consultation others might charge 35. They are allowed do this, if you don't like it vote with your feet

L1011

shamdrog63 wrote: »

Who can I complain to?

The GP. Private businesses can set their own prices, competition exists.

shamdrog63

If only it were as easy as that.Have you switched doctors lately?Its impossible.My partner can,t even get her daughter into her GP,s practice.Besides I,m a medical card holder so I,m tied to them by miles of red tape.The fee is not covered by the medical card and rightly so and i wouldn,t mind paying a reasonable fee but they want to charge more than I earn per day to answer a few questions most of which merely require a yes or no answer.

antix80

You can complain to whoever ya want. Not going to make a difference.

My advice. Pay fee. Get on with life.

Perhaps ask gp for a discount.

Deagol

Doctors will often drop the price upon request.

My daughter never pays the full amount, she always argues that she's a poor student / unemployed / etc, I don't think she's ever paid more than 30€ for a visit

shamdrog63

antix80 wrote: »

You can complain to whoever ya want. Not going to make a difference.

My advice. Pay fee. Get on with life.

Perhaps ask gp for a discount.

I was looking for advice that somehow helped.I don,t HAVE €104.55 to give to a doctor who knows i can,t continue to foster a 5 yr old child until I pay him this exorbitant fee.

I wish I did medicine instead of pharmacy.

emeldc

Deagol wrote: »

Doctors will often drop the price upon request.

My daughter never pays the full amount, she always argues that she's a poor student / unemployed / etc, I don't think she's ever paid more than 30€ for a visit

I'm sure your daughter will apply the same rate of discount should she ever need to sue him for professional negligence, wont she?

Sleeper12

shamdrog63 wrote:

I was looking for advice that somehow helped.I don,t HAVE €104.55 to give to a doctor who knows i can,t continue to foster a 5 yr old child until I pay him this exorbitant fee.

It's an investment. You will be paid to foster the child.
It does seem expensive.

antix80

shamdrog63 wrote: »

I was looking for advice that somehow helped.I don,t HAVE €104.55 to give to a doctor who knows i can,t continue to foster a 5 yr old child until I pay him this exorbitant fee.

No, you asked who to complain to.

I gave you better advice. 1 ask for discount. 2 get on with life.

dev100

Deleted User wrote:

I wish I did medicine instead of pharmacy.

Has to be sarcasm !!!!

shamdrog63

Ok, its now clear there is nobody i can complain to but I just felt I could at least ask for helpful advice.It appears not.Is it not possible for to ask for helpful advice on this forum without some dick just telling me to suck it up.If you have nothing positive to contribute to a post then why post at all?

L1011

shamdrog63 wrote: »

Ok, its now clear there is nobody i can complain to but I just felt I could at least ask for helpful advice.It appears not.Is it not possible for to ask for helpful advice on this forum without some dick just telling me to suck it up.If you have nothing positive to contribute to a post then why post at all?

You got helpful advice - there is nobody to complain to. If you wanted a different answer you can't claim the actual answer is unhelpful.

Miaireland

I would ask them what exact is causing the increased cost
Maybe ask them if they could print out the relevant information from your medical records and offer to pay for the printing (check the going rate in a nearby internet cafe). Then the Doctor could write on the form see thr attached reports on the form.

meeeeh

OP I don't think it works retrospectively but children under 6 are entitled to free gp card. You will probably have to swallow this one but after that you should enquire about the card.

Miaireland

Forms like this are not covered my the under six card nor medical cards.

intheclouds

shamdrog63 wrote: »

If only it were as easy as that.Have you switched doctors lately?Its impossible.My partner can,t even get her daughter into her GP,s practice.Besides I,m a medical card holder so I,m tied to them by miles of red tape.The fee is not covered by the medical card and rightly so and i wouldn,t mind paying a reasonable fee but they want to charge more than I earn per day to answer a few questions most of which merely require a yes or no answer.

This isn't covered by a medical card so you don't need to switch doctors entirely, just go and see another doctor privately for this matter - one who charges less.

I know it can be difficult to get into a different practice, but usually only if it's an older established practice. There are plenty of newer places that have popped up in the past couple of years who actively advertise for new patients.

shamdrog63

He,s got a medical card as do I but this isn,t covered by it.I feel this is typical of ripoff Ireland.Thanks for ALL the posts even the ones I took issue with as they confirm the futility of fighting this thing.I,ve worked for 35 years and couldn,t sleep at night if i felt i wasn,t earning what I was paid and it galls me to pay so much for something which I really need and which would take so little effort on the doctors behalf.I hope he can sleep at night

whiterebel

shamdrog63 wrote: »

He,s got a medical card as do I but this isn,t covered by it.I feel this is typical of ripoff Ireland.Thanks for ALL the posts even the ones I took issue with as they confirm the futility of fighting this thing.I,ve worked for 35 years and couldn,t sleep at night if i felt i wasn,t earning what I was paid and it galls me to pay so much for something which I really need and which would take so little effort on the doctors behalf.I hope he can sleep at night

If its not covered by the Medical card, go to a different doctor just for the checkup. My local doctor charges €50 per consult, plus €30 if there are bloods required. €104 is crazy if its a straightforward checkup.

Miaireland

If you are considering going to another Doctor check (a) are they willing to fill in the form and (b) would the people who sent you the form accept the form from a Doctor who is not your regular Doctor. Given that it involves a child it might look like you are trying to hide something that your regular Doctor knows. Might be worth baring in mind in case it could create problems long term.

newacc2015

shamdrog63 wrote: »

Ok, its now clear there is nobody i can complain to but I just felt I could at least ask for helpful advice.It appears not.Is it not possible for to ask for helpful advice on this forum without some dick just telling me to suck it up.If you have nothing positive to contribute to a post then why post at all?

I know this is not what you want to hear. But hey, the next time you need someone service related you could just pick up the phone and within 2 mins of phoning a few people you could save yourself some money. Rather than after the fact trying to blame someone else as you didnt check prices. This is not what you want to hear, but it is what you need to hear.

Diziet

"Not what you want to hear, but what you need to hear"? How patronising can you get?

OP, I think you are right to be annoyed, and I do think you should ask the GP for a discount. If the form is that simple, then a standard consult fee should apply. It doesn't hurt to have a quick chat and see if they will amend it.

Deagol

emeldc wrote: »

I'm sure your daughter will apply the same rate of discount should she ever need to sue him for professional negligence, wont she?

Good grief, some people have very warped minds...

antix80

Deagol wrote: »

Good grief, some people have very warped minds...

So much for the free market!

davo10

Diziet wrote: »

"Not what you want to hear, but what you need to hear"? How patronising can you get?

OP, I think you are right to be annoyed, and I do think you should ask the GP for a discount. If the form is that simple, then a standard consult fee should apply. It doesn't hurt to have a quick chat and see if they will amend it.

That's not the way it works unfortunately. This isn't a standard consultation. The GP is being asked to provide a report on the op's health and effectively his/her medical suitability to foster children. The GP will have to stand by that report in the future of it is ever challenged of God forbid the op had a clinical/health issue which led to the child being in danger. People always tend to think these things take 5 minutes, they don't, the appointment takes longer and in most cases the report takes quite a while to prepare.

There is nothing routine about this, the GP is vouching for the OPs health any medical suitability to look after a vulnerable child.

Mech1

how much for a freedom of information held about me request? I have no idea if this is of any use, just a thought.

bisset

I think you should take the issue up with Tusla and /or the Irish Foster Carers Association. Good luck

antix80

shamdrog63 wrote: »

He,s got a medical card as do I but this isn,t covered by it.I feel this is typical of ripoff Ireland.Thanks for ALL the posts even the ones I took issue with as they confirm the futility of fighting this thing.I,ve worked for 35 years and couldn,t sleep at night if i felt i wasn,t earning what I was paid and it galls me to pay so much for something which I really need and which would take so little effort on the doctors behalf.I hope he can sleep at night

Well after he's paid his receptionists, nurse, practice manager, light, heat, professional indemnity cover, car costs, telephone, stationery & printing, accountant, up to 7 years of student debt, professional development costs, a mortgage on the practice, 55% income tax... not to mention the joy of another medical card patient on his books, I'm sure the report fee doesn't make much of a difference one way or another.

*edit Worth noting the €100 fee may include VAT at 23%.

On the bright side the kid you're fostering will net you €352 a week tax-free. Plus child benefit.

So, swings and roundabouts.

davo10

Mech1 wrote: »

how much for a freedom of information held about me request? I have no idea if this is of any use, just a thought.

Around €6, but you will still owe the professional fee.

dusty207

Hope the potential fostered child never sees this thread