Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 May 2018
618. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an optical treatment benefit claim by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23599/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe current eligibility checking process for treatment benefit allows contracted dentists and opticians to check the eligibility of the customer on-line, via the Departments new on-line portal “WelfarePartners”. This facility can approve customers, in over 80% of cases, normally within 20 seconds of the enquiry being submitted. Over 1 million such enquiries have successfully been dealt with since last November, with the result instantly relayed to the submitting optician or dentist.
However, if the customers insurance record indicates that they have insufficient contributions to qualify, a “pending” status is returned to the optician and the eligibility enquiry falls out to be examined by an officer in case there are additional contributions/credits due to the customer that have not been recorded. These enquiries can take some time to finalise due to the possible need to contact other areas in the Department or other EU member states to confirm contributions due. The volume of enquiries generated since the available treatments were extended last November is over three times the norm and has taken time to process. However, technical changes have recently been introduced to reduce the delays in advising of the outcome of such enquiries.
In the case of the person concerned, the optician who submitted the enquiry was advised in April 2018 that the customer did not qualify for treatment benefits. Two subsequent enquires have been submitted by the same optician in the last 2 weeks. However, unfortunately the person concerned still does not qualify for treatment benefit as the PRSI contributions paid in the relevant contribution years are not reckonable for treatment benefits.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
