The treatment benefit scheme operated by my Department provides a range of benefits in the areas of dental, optical and aural treatment for qualified PRSI contributors and their dependent spouses. The PRSI contribution conditions relating to entitlement to dental as well as the other treatment benefits vary depending on the age of the insured person. Persons must also have been insurably employed and paid appropriate rates of PRSI for a certain length of time.
Persons aged under 21 years of age must have at least 39 weeks PRSI paid since first starting work in order to qualify while persons aged from 21 to 24 years of age must have at least 39 weeks PRSI paid since first starting work and 39 weeks paid or credited in the relevant tax year of which a minimum of 13 weeks must be paid contributions. In the case of persons aged from 25 to 65 years of age the requirement is that they have at least 260 weeks PRSI paid since first starting work and 39 weeks PRSI paid or credited in the relevant tax year of which a minimum of 13 weeks must be paid contributions.
The contribution conditions for treatment benefit are generally in line with those applying to other contributory benefit schemes. These conditions are necessary to ensure the continuing viability of the scheme while directing limited resources towards those in greatest need. They also ensure a realistic relationship between entitlement to benefit and a continuing or recent attachment to the workforce through an active PRSI contribution record. The lower contribution requirement for a person under 25 is in recognition of the fact that a younger person may have entered insurable employment relatively recently and would have difficulty meeting the higher condition.
Any changes in the insurance conditions for receipt of treatment benefits would have financial implications and is a matter for consideration within the constraints of budgetary policy and the best targeting of available resources. At present, while I have no specific proposals, for changing the qualifying conditions or entitlements under the dental or other areas of the treatment benefit scheme the operation of the scheme is subject to ongoing monitoring by my Department.
Question No. 356 taken with Question No. 353.
