Primary Care Re-imbursement Service

Information

The Primary Care Re-imbursement Service administers payments to doctors, pharmacists and dentists who provide services under the Primary Care Re-imbursement Service (PCRS) scheme. All aspects of the management and operation of the Primary Care Re-imbursement Schemes are operated through the Health Service Executive (HSE).

This scheme was previously called the General Medical Services Payments Board, usually referred to as the GMS.

The PCRS scheme includes medical card services provided by doctors and pharmacists, prescribed drugs and medicines services provided by community pharmacists and dental services provided to medical card holders. Doctors, pharmacists and dentists have contracts with the Health Service Executive (HSE) to provide these services and the Primary Care Re-imbursement Service makes the payments on behalf of the HSE. The level of payments and other conditions of service are negotiated by the Department of Health and the relevant professional bodies.

What is the Primary Care Re-imbursement Service (PCRS) responsible for?

Specifically, the Primary Care Re-imbursement Service is responsible for:

• the calculation of payments to be made for the services provided
• the making of such payments
• the verification of the accuracy and reasonableness of claims in relation to such services
• the compilation of statistics and other information in relation to such services.

The Service issues an Annual Report that shows the number of people covered by medical cards, the costs of the services and related information.

The Service has a Complaints Tribunal that investigates complaints by the Health Service Executive (HSE) against individual doctors, pharmacists or dentists and complaints and appeals by the health professionals against HSE decisions affecting them.