A 13 PER cent rise in dental inflation is being blamed on the Government’s removal of PRSI benefit from treatments.
The Irish Dental Association says the increase in dental fees reported by the Central Statistics Office in January’s inflation figures is entirely due to the removal of the benefit in the budget last December.
The association says the CSO has confirmed this in answers to its queries.
Fintan Hourihan, chief executive of the IDA, said the news demonstrated the hidden but seriously detrimental impact of the Government’s decision.
“The decimation of the PRSI scheme is a disgrace. People are being made pay the same level of “social insurance” from their wages (up to €53 per week in some cases) but are receiving less in benefits.”
“If a regular insurance company tried it, they would be run out of town but the Government has gotten away with yet another stealth tax which is set to cause serious damage to the health of the nation.”
He claimed that dentists were “fighting” to keep costs as low as possible but “inevitably” some of the costs previously borne by Government would end up being borne by patients.
He acknowledged that dentists, rather than the Government, would probably bear the criticism for higher prices but claimed it was not their fault.
Under the changes made in the budget, the PRSI scheme was limited to cover dental examinations and eyesight tests only.
Previously, the scheme also subsidised the cost of a scale and polish, fillings and other dental work. The measure will save an estimated €53 million.