The Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) is part of the HSE, and is responsible for making payments to healthcare professionals, like GPs, dentists and pharmacists, for the free or reduced costs services they provide to the public. So, when you visit the GP using your Medical Card, or when you are only charged the monthly threshold amount for your medicine under the Drugs Payment Scheme, it is the HSE PCRS who pays the GP and pharmacist on your behalf.
PCRS supports the delivery of primary healthcare by providing reimbursement services to primary care contractors for the provision of health services to members of the public in their own community. Almost all payments for publicly funded healthcare services provided in the community by General Practitioners, Community Pharmacies, Dentists and Optometrists/Ophthalmologists are made by the PCRS.
In addition to the processing and making of payments on a national basis to key customers, the PCRS compiles statistics and trend analyses which are provided to other areas within the HSE, the Government, customers, stakeholders and to members of the public. For more information, choose from the options on the left.
Privacy statement of the HSE-PCRS (PDF)
Statement of Purpose (PDF)
Customer Charter (PDF)
The Health (Amendment) (No 2) Act 2010 provides for the payment of a prescription charge by persons with full eligibility (GMS patients) dispensed by Community Pharmacies.
Community pharmacies are obliged by law to collect this prescription charge from you.
The prescription charge is automatically deducted by the HSE from the pharmacy in respect of every medicine item dispensed under the scheme.
Circulars to Contractors
Guidelines for assessing undue hardship for a medical card or GP visit card.
For information about Medical Card, GP Visit Cards, and other schemes and benefits that the public can access, visit the costs and schemes section
National Medical Card Assessment Guidelines (PDF, size 1.3 MB, 51 pages)
National Medical Card Assessment Guidelines (Irish) (PDF, size 486.6 KB, 51 pages)
