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	PROPOSALS to give young children free GP care, regardless of the income of the parents, are likely to be included in the Budget.</h2>
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		It is unclear what age group of children would benefit at first. It would be next year before the relevant legislation would be passed.</p>
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		Junior Health Minister&nbsp;<a href="http://searchtopics.independent.ie/topic/Alex_White_(politician)" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1em; color: rgb(92, 139, 63); margin-bottom: 0px !important;">Alex White</a>confirmed that he &quot;intends to bring proposals to Government&quot; later this year but also suggested plans for the first rollout of free GP care may be included in the Budget as soon as October.</p>
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		Mr White, who was addressing a nursing conference in Galway, said around &euro;30m was available to the HSE for the plan &ndash; money which had been allocated for the first phase of GP care and has yet to be spent.</p>
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		There are around 350,000 children under five years in the country but a high number of these are already getting free GP care because their parents have a medical card.</p>
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		The last group to get a medical card regardless of income were the over-70s in 2005, but this benefit was abolished and is now means tested.</p>
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		&quot;At the end of July, along with Minister Reilly, I made an interim report to government on alternative approaches to introducing free GP care,&quot; Mr White said.</p>
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		This followed the shelving of plans to extend the benefit first to around 56,000 on the long-term illness scheme, a move which proved to be legally complex.</p>
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		&quot;Both I and Minister Reilly have indicated our view that young children would be a good group to start with, but the issues remain under consideration in the department,&quot; he said.</p>
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		If certain groups of children, outside of the medical card scheme, get free GP care their parents would still have to pay for any medications prescribed.</p>
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		GPs are likely to insist on a new contract if free care is extended to any age group &ndash; and it is unclear what fee they would receive.</p>
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		The Government has promised to have free GP care for all by 2016 but it is unlikely that this target will now be met.</p>
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		Meanwhile, Mr White told the conference that Ireland&#39;s pensioner population would more than double in the next 30 years and lead to &quot;significant implications for health service delivery&quot;.</p>
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		<strong style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1em;">UTILISE</strong></p>
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		Speaking of the challenge chronic disease represents to the health service, Mr White pointed out that patients with chronic diseases utilise around 70pc of health resources.</p>
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		&quot;Due to our ageing population and lifestyle factors, chronic conditions will generally increase by around 40pc between 2007 and 2020. This trend presents huge challenges for both cost and capacity,&quot; he said.</p>
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		Up to 350 delegates attended the third International Public Health Conference, which runs for two days in Galway.</p>
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		<a href="http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/free-gp-care-for-children-likely-to-be-in-budget-29529660.html">http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/free-gp-care-for-children-likely-to-be-in-budget-29529660.html</a></p>
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