A Tipperary TD has accused the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection of bullying tactics.
Deputy Mattie McGrath’s comments follow the recent introduction, at less than a week’s notice, of new claim forms for certification of the Department’s Illness and Injury Benefit Schemes.
The new certs are to be filled every six months, whereas the previous ones were done on a rolling month on month basis, meaning that GP’s will see a loss of income in relation to their output of illness certificates.
Prior to this, the standard rate received by a GP for a sick cert stood at €8.25 per month – no new fee has been determined for the new documentation.
Though the fee seems small, many GP’s feel it will accrue a large deficit over time if new prices aren’t fixed for the incoming certs.
The independent TD feels this will cause further strain on vulnerable patients who are in need of these payments to live.
