HSE Primary Care Reimbursement Scheme (PCRS ) publishes Annual Report 2023

The HSE has published the PCRS 2023 Statistical Analysis of Claims and Payments Report. It provides an overview of over €4bn in reimbursements and payments made in 2023, representing a €260m increase over 2022.

These payments were made through primary care schemes, including the GMS, Drugs Payment, Dental Treatment, Long Term Illness, and Community Ophthalmic schemes, and in relation to High-Tech drugs.

According to Shaun Flanagan Assistant National Director PCRS:

“The PCRS Annual Statistical Report provides us with the data and analysis of the real impact and difference the services provided by our partners in the community such as GPS and pharmacists are making for our patients.

In addition, these schemes provide more drugs in the community and hospitals for our patients and service users, making life-enhancing improvements for them. The HSE is funding more high-tech drugs than ever before; there is also more funding for hospital cancer drugs and MS drugs. Our patients and services users can access more services than ever with increases in GP access and care.”

Key report findings include:

• 42% of the population now has access to free GP care, thanks to the expansion of the eligibility criteria in 2023.
• Universal GP visit card access was extended to all children under 8 years of age from 11th August 2023, with a change in the means assessment threshold to extend eligibility to those on or below the median income came into effect towards the end 2023.

This report also highlights the number of pharmacy items dispensed and payments to suppliers and manufacturers of High-Tech drugs, including an additional €4.95m spend on high-tech patient care fees. It details hospital payments in relation to Oncology Drugs and Medicines with over €36m more funding available in 2023, the National Hepatitis C Treatment Programme and a further €8.2m provided for Multiple Sclerosis Services. There was also an increase in investments in GP developments, with an additional €300,000 provided compared to 2022.

PCRS supports the delivery of a wide range of services to the general public through approximately 6,550 primary care contractors (general practitioners, dentists, pharmacists and optometrists/ophthalmologists) across a range of community health schemes.