Federal dental insurance plan details unveiled. What to know

globalnews.ca:

Canadian Dental Care Plan on Monday, giving a leg up for low and middle-income residents without private insurance.The plan, known as the CDCP, was born out of the Liberals’ supply-and-confidence deal with the NDP in 2022, and it offers dental care benefits directly to Canadian residents who are uninsured with a household income under $90,000.It’s part of a measure in the federal government’s spring 2023 budget, which allocated $13 billion over five years beginning in 2023 to 2024, and $4.4 billion ongoing.“The CDCP aims to help ease financial barriers to accessing oral health care services and provides coverage to eligible Canadian residents, who currently do not have access to dental insurance,” according to a Monday media release.Health Minister Mark Holland called the CDCP “transformative for our country.”“It will significantly improve health outcomes, reduce a burden on our health care system, and build a foundation of equity by expanding access to oral health care for the millions of Canadians that currently do not have access to this critical care,” he said in the release.Here are the key takeaways from the dental plan.To qualify for the CDCP, Canadians must meet the following criteria:Canadians who already have access to dental benefits through provincial, territorial, and federal social programs and who meet these criteria will still be able to apply for the dental program, according to the media release.Applications for the dental plan will first open for seniors aged 87 and up starting in December 2023, expanding in phases by age group.

People in this age bracket who may be eligible will receive a letter inviting them to apply, according to the federal government’s announcement.Starting in January 2024,