Refund cash-strapped workers demands SIPTU

CASH-STRAPPED workers forced to pay for dental treatment because of an industrial dispute should get their money back, a leading trade unionist said yesterday.

The 1.7 million insured workers who pay PRSI cannot get free standard dental treatment because of a dispute between the Irish Dental Association (IDA) and the Minister for Social and Family Affairs.

The dentists say they can no longer give the same standard of treatment to insured patients as given to private patients because rates paid by the State have not kept pace with inflation.

And they have introduced a balance billing system whereby the insured patient must pay extra to make up the shortfall.

This has prompted SIPTU services branch secretary Chris Rowland to demand Minister Mary Coughlan refund the workers who are being forced to pay extra dental costs.

Ms Rowland said: "Most of our members are already hard pressed to pay increased hospital and drug scheme charges and cannot afford these extra dental fees."

SIPTU has received a lot of complaints from members who had to pay between 80 and 200 for routine dental treatments since the dispute started, she added.

"We also have lots of low paid members complaining they cannot afford these charges and are being forced to put off essential dental treatment."

Responding to the call for dental fees to be refunded to cash-strapped workers, the minister's spokesman said there are still many dentists who are operating the department's dental benefit scheme. The names of these dentists can be secured by contacting the department on: 1890 400 400 ext 4480.

Meanwhile, the IDA has written to the minister seeking talks to devise new arrangements for the treatment of insured workers. IDA secretary general Donal Atkins said the minister's precondition for talks on their dispute that dentists cease balance billing is impossible for dentists to accept.

Mr Atkins said dentists are concerned about workers who are continuing to pay PRSI but are deprived of benefits. "While forced into a position which makes talks on the current dispute impossible, we are available for separate talks aimed at devising new arrangements."

Ms Coughlan's spokesman said the minister would consider the IDA request.