The Minister for Health has just announced the intention to extend free GP care to the entire population. I am sure this will have many desirable effects but the warning from the extension of medical cards to the over 70s should be borne in mind because that cost far more than was expected. The cost per patient varies between 4.4 times and 4.8 times the average when treating an affluent person over 70 who has a medical card in a system that previously dealt with low income clients. There are dangers in proceeding so perhaps this should be done gradually instead of in one fell swoop given our experience with how much it cost last time.

Perhaps the measure should be extended gradually rather than implemented in one fell swoop, given our experience of how much it cost the last time.