Some dental practices stop accepting medical cards
LOCAL medical card holders have found that some dental practices are refusing to accept their cards as a form of payment due to increased costs associated with PPE and social distancing measures. Private patients have also been asked to pay a fee towards the cost of PPE, with one reader contacting The Argus to say he was shocked to discover that he was charged an extra €30 to cover the costs of PPE and additional cleaning.
‘I went for a regular check up and cleaning. I had two x-rays which cost €10 each, which was ok, but then when I was paying, I was asked for a €30 COVID-18 charge.’
He said that when he queried the charge he was told it was to cover the cost of the PPE which the dental staff have to wear and for the 15 minutes for cleaning between patients.
‘I wouldn’t have minded paying something but I thought this was a bit much.’
Other readers have complained that they have been informed that dental practices are no longer accepting medical cards, again due to the increased costs involved around COVID-19 hygiene requirements.
A spokesperson for the Smiles group, which has a practice in Dublin Street said: ‘Smiles practices are currently prioritising patients by clinical need as well as those who had treatment outstanding prior to the temporary closure of our practices. Dentists working from Smiles practices are only seeing existing medical card patients in line with this policy, although we have not yet received any PPE from HSE. We are not charging patients for PPE costs for treatments being provided that are covered by the medical scheme.’
The issue has been raised in the Dail by Sinn Fein TD Ruairi O Murchu recently who asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some dentists have informed medical card patients that they are no longer accepting medical cards as a form of payment due to increased costs associated with PPE and social distancing measures; the rate of payments being made to dentists to treat medical card patients.
In a written response, he was told that: ‘ The Dental Treatment Services Scheme provides dental care free of charge to medical card holders aged 16 and over. These services are provided by independent dental practitioners who have a contract with the HSE.