Loss of Dental Benefits for PRSI workers.

locum-motion

I've lifted the quote below from the dental thread; I think it's important that as many as possible should know about this.

Do you pay PRSI at the standard 'Employee' rate? If so, then your PRSI is about to lose alot of the "Social Insurance" benefits that it provides. Up to now, your PRSI has paid (and/or co-paid) for various Dental (and Optical) Treatments.
After last week's Budget, that's gone, and you now only get your annual check up paid for.
However, it doesn't come into effect until the end of the year.
If you pay standard rate PRSI, call your dentist TODAY and make an appointment.
Your dentist will check for you whether or not you're eligible for Dental Benefits.
As long as the eligibility is confirmed on or before 31/12/09, the treatment will be covered even if it actually happens in 2010.
However, turn up to the dentist's on 02/01/10 and you will get nothing for free except the check-up.

If you have been paying Pay Related Social Insurance, make sure you get the services that your Insurance has bought for you up until now.
Despite the name, PRSI is gonna be nothing more than a tax in future!

Treatment Benefits
In 2010, the entitlements under the Treatment Benefit Scheme will be limited to the Medical and Surgical appliances scheme and the free examination elements of the Dental and Optical Benefit schemes.


This scheme has delivered free or subsidised dental, optical and aural treatment to prsi insured workers and their dependant spouses for over 55 years. Last year over 400,000 individuals accessed dental treatment through this scheme and almost 2 million people were entitled to avail of it. It is now proposed to take a machete to this scheme and leave only a small element of it standing. This will come into effect in Jan 2010. This was one of the only tangible benefits to the PRSI insured person and will now be decimated. We are told that this abomination of a decision may deliver €52M in savings. Contrast this saving with the €90M being returned to the alcohol industry, which can hardly be accused of improving anyone's health, or to €60M being granted to horse and greyhound racing, which is enjoyed by a relative minority. I would deplore the present Government's commitment to dental and oral health (a fact in evidence for several years and portrayed by the failure to secure a dental advisor or Chief Dental Officer) and question its commitment to delivering that which was intended when PRSI was first designed. Would the Minister for Finance now please admit that this has been a grave error in judgement and apologise to the PRSI payers of the State, or failing that, admit that PRSI is now, ipso facto, a tax which delivers no actual benefits to the insured worker.

Pete4779

That is one hell of an expensive yearly checkup.

Jessibelle

On this,as stated above by Locum Motion and as I have been informed by someone close to me working in an opticans, the PRSI contribution towards glasses/contact lenses is also being cut/eliminated. So you will be entitled to one free eyetest every two years, and the €40-60 odd euro (it varies depending on perscription/lens type etc) is gone. So if you do need new specs, it may be an idea to get them before January.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

I would point you to this thread over on dental issues. The Irish dental Association was campainging on this for several months after the boards snip report, however the budget confirmed our fears.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055643920

locum-motion

BUMP.

You've still got a couple of days to assert your right to free or subsidised dental treatment before it disappears at the end of the year.

Call your dentist and make an appointment ON MONDAY MORNING!

dollyk

omg and all i wanted for xmas was my two front keekh :eek: . its back to loose dentures for half the population so .:(