It will soon be the turn of Canadians under 18, seniors and those living with disabilities to have their dental expenses reimbursed by Ottawa. The government will set up its brand new plan starting at the end of this year. A framework that could displease the provinces, especially since they all already have varying degrees of dental care coverage, but which Chrystia Freeland promises to take into account.
“No more Canadians will have to choose between their dental health and paying their bills at the end of the month,” said the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, referring to a “historic expansion” of health care in Canada.
Since last year, Ottawa has reimbursed the dental costs of children under 12 whose parents do not have private insurance. This interim program was through benefits sent directly to households. Justin Trudeau’s government will now mark out this coverage within a new Canadian Dental Care Plan, which will be administered by an insurance company acting as administrator.
The new plan could eventually cover the dental care of nine million Canadians, according to Ottawa forecasts, whose household income is below $90,000. Those whose annual income is less than $70,000 will not have to pay a copayment when leaving the dentist’s office.
This plan was expected, under the support agreement concluded between the Liberal government and the New Democratic Party. The agreement called for this coverage to be expanded in 2023, as confirmed in the budget, and to become universal in 2025.
However, the bill will be higher than forecast in the 2022 budget, by $7 billion, to reach $13 billion this year, then $4.4 billion per year thereafter. Because the range of services offered and the target population have been expanded and prices have increased due to inflation, the officials explained.
Possible grumbling from the provinces
Three years ago, when the idea of federal dental insurance was already circulating in political circles, the provincial premiers were all cautious.
Guillaume Hébert, researcher at IRIS, welcomes the creation of a “relatively ambitious social policy”. “However, as it is an intervention in the field of health, we can expect that the measure will not please Quebec where we could see it as an intrusion into a field of provincial jurisdiction”, he observed.
At the time these lines were written, the government of François Legault had not commented.
A federal source did not rule out the possibility that Quebec could manage the plan on its territory if it wishes. But it is estimated in Ottawa that it is premature to consider it, while waiting for the parameters of the federal system to be fixed.
Ottawa will also have to establish its dental insurance taking into account the partial coverage already offered by all the provinces – whether, as the case may be, for children, minors or the poorest families.
Minister Freeland acknowledged that “needs and systems” differ across Canada, “including in Quebec”. She assured that her plan would take this into account, without giving further details, which will follow later.
The federal government is also planning an Oral Health Access Fund, at a cost of $250 million over three years, to fill the gaps in access to a dentist in the regions.
Added to these amounts are the $22 billion promised to the provinces last month through bilateral health agreements. This makes this envelope the second largest in the Freeland budget.