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 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 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, 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.
