The Canadian Federal Government has raised concerns over the potential for private employers to soon end dental coverage for employees. This is due to the potential cost-cutting measure of recommending employees use the National Dental Care Plan instead. This would push the added expense onto taxpayers, which is likely to be highly unpopular.
The Canadian Federal Government has raised its concerns over a potential, yet unforeseen, side effect of the National Dental Care Plan – which threatens to add further expense to taxpayers.
The national dental care plan has been gathering pace recently, with the rollout having begun and uptake generally steady. However, a new concern has the potential to be a setback for the plan.
The plan aims to assist those with an income of below $90,000 with financial support for dental care. But currently, the plan is just providing support for families with children aged under 12 and an income of below $70,000 – with the government providing $650 towards dental costs for those eligible.
More expenses for taxpayers?
The situation involves dental coverage offered by private employers. Currently, many private employers offer their employees dental care as part of their overall financial package [1].
However, as the cabinet expands its national dental care program, there are concerns that this large expense will end up being transferred to taxpayers [1].
The theory is that private employers may push their employees towards accessing the services provided by the national dental care plan. Therefore, instead of private employers footing the bill for dental care, the expense would be pushed onto taxpayers.
This was an unforeseen issue for policy makers. This development has the potential to lessen support for the dental plan amongst the sizeable population of taxpayers.
Discussion over concerns
In a recent meeting of the Senate Social Affairs committee, Director General Lindy Van Amburg was asked about the concerns [1]. Van Amburg agreed that it was “something we are concerned about” [1].
Van Amburg did show however that her committee are tackling the issue, saying that they “are looking at ways to make sure those who currently provide coverage will continue to do so” [1]. However, she did caution that they “will need to be very careful” when doing so [1].
The impact of Bill C-47
Bill C-47 of the Budget Implementation Act states that all employers offering dental coverage are required to report this to the Canada Revenue Agency by December 31st [1].
Van Amburg has said that this approach “recognizes employer-sponsored benefits are the largest source of dental coverage for Canadians” [1]. Moreover, she believes it will also help to solve a problem that means “currently there is no way to reliably determine who does and who does not have employment-offered coverage” [1].
Will private employers end dental coverage for employees?
It remains to be seen if private employers will seek to end dental coverage for their employees. This is of grave concern to the government, as public support for the dental plan is likely to fall if taxpayers need to pick up the expense.
Senator Sharon Burey asked if “there are any provisions or mechanisms” that the government could put in place to stop private employers stopping dental coverage. Furthermore, there have been suggestions that the Canadian Parliament could step in to force employers to keep their plans.
However, this would not be possible, as such matters are left to individual provinces and territories. Therefore, it is not within the federal government’s jurisdiction to make such laws or requirements.
Van Amburg has said that her team are looking at ways to track any cases of employers revoking their dental coverage. But putting this into practice is likely to be challenging.
It will be necessary to wait and see how private employers around Canada respond to these latest developments. If a trend develops where many private employers do revoke dental coverage, it will place pressure on the federal government to implement a strategy to stop this from happening further.
Thinking points…
1) Whether you have dental coverage or not, the same rule applies – oral health is very important! It is crucial that you have regular dental check-ups, as these will provide you with advice for your oral hygiene and information on how your oral health is. A dentist will also be able to look out for any signs of physical health problems. We recommend booking an appointment right away!
2) Does your employer provide dental coverage? You could discuss this article and its implications with your family and friends. It would remind them of the importance of oral health – you would actually be helping their oral health! Moreover, it could also kick-start a conversation about the prospect of employer dental coverage ending. Why not share this article now and discuss it with those around you?
What we offer at Savanna Dental
Savanna Dental is a Calgary dental clinic that provide its patients with a wide range of dental treatment options and advice aimed at improving their oral health.
It is crucial to brush your teeth at least twice a day and to floss regularly. Moreover, eating healthily and trying to avoid sugary foods and drink is important.
We advise our patients to attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a regular dental check-up. When problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals.
Here at Savanna Dental, we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, tooth whitening and Invisalign™! Many people find that these treatments have a positive impact on their appearance, confidence and self-esteem.
In addition, all of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.
We would love you to visit our Savanna Dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca.
References
[1] Oldcorn, C. (2023). Trudeau gov’t concerned companies may end dental, move to gov’t dental plan. Available: https://www.westernstandard.news/news/trudeau-gov-t-concerned-companies-may-end-dental-move-to-gov-t-dental-plan/article_a0b761be-fbd3-11ed-a076-b7cc0b59ad42.html. Last accessed: 2nd June 2023.
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