asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will indicate the terms of settlement arrived at between him and the dental profession for the provision of dental benefits to insured persons under the Social Welfare Act, and the extent to which the settlement varies the previous agreement with the dental profession and the facilities provided for insured persons.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dental Benefits Agreement.
The settlement with the dental profession provides for an overall increase of 8.7 per cent. in the scales of fees which were in operation prior to the suspension of the benefit on 1st April, 1952. Apart from the increase in fees the settlement does not vary the previous agreement with the profession. The facilities provided for insured persons include the provision free of cost to them of all forms of dental treatment other than dentures. Due to increases in the costs of providing the treatment benefits, which include dental benefit, and having regard to the necessity of keeping within the limit of the annual expenditure on these benefits imposed by the Social Welfare Act, 1952, insured persons are now required to pay two-thirds of the cost of dentures instead of the half cost they paid for them prior to the suspension.
The position, therefore, is that previously insured persons were entitled to dentures by paying half the cost and under the new agreement they will pay two-thirds of the cost.
As far as the insured person is concerned, that is the change.
Would the Minister say why it is not possible to continue the old arrangement whereby they paid not more than half the cost? Why ask them to pay two-thirds?
Because, as I said in the answer, we could not keep within the limit of £500,000.
Is there no money available under other heads which could be switched to the provision of additional moneys for this dental treatment?
I do not think so.
Has the Minister examined that?
I have inquired into it and that is as far as I have found out.
They are going to raise taxes on false teeth now.