Published: Wednesday, 14th October, 2009 5:25pm

Medical card scheme generates over €4.9m for local doctors

by Deirdre Verney

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Some 22 local doctors earned in excess of €4.94 million from the Medical Card Scheme last year, it's emerged in figures obtained by the Westmeath Independent from the HSE, with one GP receiving over €408,000 alone in fees over the period.

Dr Declan McGivney of Ballymahon was the highest earning local general practitioner under the GMS scheme, the latest statistics indicated, coming in 155th place nationwide in the league table for doctors' earnings from the Medical Card Scheme in 2008.

The total is broken down into over €393,546.51 in medical card fees and another €14,799.61, under a separate scheme known as the Practice Support Payment, which offers additional funding for the running of a surgery.

Next highest were the Garden Vale surgeries of Dr Graham Kearon with €389,989.45, and Dr Mark McCormick with €388,907.41 respectively.

Over in Moate, Dr Gerard Lynch, Toophelim earned €373,732.85 from the Medical Card Scheme last year, while Dr Michael Lynn in Knockcroghery, garnered another €371,949.33 and Dr Anthony Lowry, Newtown Terrace received a total of €347,704.80.

Two further local doctors breached the €300,000 mark for earnings last year, those being, Dr John Rice, Town Centre Surgery, Athlone, with €334,262.67 and Dr Patrick O'Meara Town Centre Surgery, Athlone, who earned €331,259.21 in 2008.

Another four Athlone doctors received payments from the Government of over €200,000 including Dr Mary O'Mahony in Glasson Health Centre, with €274,159.64, Dr Loyola Lowry, Newtown Terrace, at €266,697.94 and Dr TJ Meagher, Ballymahon Road, Athlone with another €237,944.30 last year. They were followed by Dr Michael Curran, Church St, Moate who received fees totalling €202,509.62 over the twelve-month period.