We have all heard about the plan which was a condition of the NDP agreement with the Liberals not to call a federal election.
The first iteration of the plan, Canadian Dental Benefit – CDB, children were covered provided family income was below $90,000. This is administered by Revenue Canada and if I understand correctly will end in 2024 to be replaced by the CDCP.
Unfortunately, there does not seem to be a lot of graspable information about the impending CDCP that has been forthcoming from the government. Let me quote the Ontario Dental Association webpage:
“The federal government is still figuring out how they’re going to run the CDCP, but they have announced that it will be will be administered by Health Canada, with support from a third-party benefits administrator.
In the federal budget for 2023, the estimated cost of the CDCP has been adjusted to $13 billion over five years, an increase from initial estimate of $5.3 billion when the program was first announced. Additionally, $4.4 billion of ongoing costs to Health Canada for implementation is budgeted.
The ODA and other dental associations across Canada are concerned about a lack of meaningful consultation with the provincial and territorial dental associations when our member dentists are expected to deliver on the government’s promises. Dentists are the experts and can give the insight needed to make sure people get the care they need, and taxpayer money will be used wisely.
While the CDCP is being developed, the government announced the Canada Dental Benefit as a first stage of its plan to deliver dental coverage for children.”
Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available. For further information see the ODA webpage for Q&A .