Doctors Charges while Pregnant

The last few times I have went to my doctor he has charged me €50 yesterday I went because I didn't feel the baby move in a few days and again he charged me €50!! I saw him writing the receipt and asked if he needed me to sign a form so that I could free medical care while pregnant and he said "oh that paper work takes forever and half the time the pregnant ladies dont fill out the forms so we never get paid, so that will be €50 please" I was under the impression that pregnancy care is free? I was so annoyed coming out of his surgery yesterday! Am I right? And if so What do I do?

If you are combined care then any visits to do with the pregnancy should be free (that is my understanding anyway!)

my doc doesnt charge for my pregnancy visits hun, so once ur apt is pregnancy related i dont think they should charge, i know if i went in with say, tonsilitis now, that i may be charged, i think its up to the doc really, can you maybe ring and ask?

Yep i get all vists free to the doctor once its pregnancy related. I had to fill up a form at the start to apply for the scheme and got a letter stating i was approved(but had free doc visits between this letter arriving and applying) I also got a card with that letter that the doc and consultant fill up for each visit! That way they know whats going on. I would enquire. Its wrong what he is doing.

I was at gp today and they asked me to fill out a Mother and Babyform - this covers the cost of my appointment this morning and from now until 6 weeks after baby is born. I thought this was standard for docs to give out Its through the HSE have a look below Quoted from http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categ ... e_services Information The Maternity and Infant Care Scheme provides an agreed programme of care to all expectant mothers who are ordinarily resident in Ireland. This service is provided by a family doctor (GP) of your choice and a hospital obstetrician. You are entitled to this service even if you do not have a medical card. Virtually all GPs have agreements with the Health Service Executive (HSE) to provide these services; they do not have to be part of the GPs and medical cards system. The Scheme also provides for two post-natal visits to the general practitioner.

Thanks girls, Just what I thought, Guess I will have to just change GP's then! Pity really ...... They get so much money anyway, why are they such money grabbers :(

I think you need to tell the Doc that you want to do combined care... when I found out I was pregnant paid for 1st visit to confirm pregnancy & haven't paid anything since - just filled out form when I was 6wks pregnant.

I'd get on to your doctor and tell him your appts should be free if your doing combined care. It's up to him to give you the paper work, saying that, not all docs do combined care so you might have to change docs because of that He seems to he pulling a fast one! The cheek of him I'd also ring to get your money back, whatever you've paid since you first confirmed your pregnancy

This is the second GP this week essentially being a money-grabber So awful. You should show your unhappiness with your feet hun and move GPs

....