Canada’s health minister said millions of Canadians who currently cannot qualify for a national dental insurance plan will be able to apply “as soon as possible in the new year,” but did not say exactly when and who would be eligible next. It is not stated.
“We know people are worried and we’re getting this question everywhere,” Health Minister Mark Holland said Wednesday at a news conference at the Dental Assistant School in Ottawa.
“We hope to expand this to all Canadians across the country as soon as possible in the new year.”
of the federal government previously said All remaining Canadians between the ages of 18 and 64 will be able to apply starting in January 2025.
in the Netherlands in October He retracted that statement.
“We didn’t say January. We said 2025,” Holland said.
canadian dental care plan (CDCP) is a taxpayer-funded program that helps pay for dental procedures such as cleanings, fillings, and dentures. The insurance covers an estimated 9 million low- to moderate-income Canadians who do not have access to private dental insurance.
So far, the program has targeted just one-third of those people, 3 million people — seniors, children and residents with active disability tax credits.
It remains to be seen whether the remaining six million Canadians (aged 18 to 64) will become eligible at the same time in 2025, or whether Ottawa will choose to add them in separate cohorts in phases. isn’t it.
The Dutch government was asked on Wednesday to clarify its rollout plans but did not provide further details. Netherlands suggested in October Expansion in 2025 can be categorized into different groups.
Health Minister Mark Holland said the federal government plans to expand the national dental insurance program to the majority of uninsured Canadians “as early as possible in the new year.”
Holland said Wednesday that it’s important to make sure each step of the program is running smoothly before expanding it. He pointed to pre-approval, which was just added to the program in November. This process is used for more complex and expensive dental procedures, such as the initial placement of crowns or partial dentures.
“We want to make sure we disable prior authorization before expanding to other cohorts,” Holland said.
“We are 100 percent committed to doing this at the earliest opportunity.”
Ottawa released new data Wednesday on the prevalence of dental health plans expected to cost taxpayers $13 billion over the next five years. The federal government said the program is one of the largest social programs in Canadian history.
More than 1.2 million Canadian residents have received dental care through the program since its launch in May. On average, $791 in dental expenses are covered per person. According to Health Canada, more than 90 per cent of oral health workers are currently participating.
