Close X
Friday, November 1, 2024
ADVT 
National

Dental-care program hits 1 million patients in first six months, coverage expands

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 31 Oct, 2024 09:43 AM
  • Dental-care program hits 1 million patients in first six months, coverage expands

A million Canadians have received care under the federal dental-care plan six months after the program began, Health Minister Mark Holland said Thursday. 

Starting on Friday, the program will also cover more complex procedures. 

That means people who have coverage under the federal program can request pre-authorization for things like crowns and the initial placement of partial dentures, as well as what the program deems high-need or complex conditions. 

Paper claims will also be accepted, something Holland said will mean that more dentists and oral care providers are eligible to work under the program. 

Once these expansions are up and running, Holland said the government is on track to begin expanding who can get coverage under the program next year. 

"We haven't set on the exact date, that's obviously still being figured out. We are obviously tracking very closely how pre-authorization and paper claims go. But early in 2025 is when we're looking to expand to additional cohorts," Holland said. 

The program is currently available for seniors, adults on the federal disability tax credit and children under 18. Currently, 2.7 million Canadians are registered to receive care under the program. 

Holland said the goal is to expand the eligibility as quickly as possible. 

"We are absolutely committed in 2025, as fast as possible, to expand this to all Canadians."

Eighty-nine per cent of oral health providers in the country are providing some form of care under the program, according to Holland. 

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C. Greens release tax-heavy platform as Conservatives push nuclear power

B.C. Greens release tax-heavy platform as Conservatives push nuclear power
Green Leader Sonia Furstenau says her party's 72-page platform, which includes doubling existing property tax rates and adding a new two-per-cent tax on homes over $3 million, is aimed at creating "an economy that serves the people" instead of "delivering harm."

B.C. Greens release tax-heavy platform as Conservatives push nuclear power

Police launch hate crime investigation after protesters clash in Vancouver

Police launch hate crime investigation after protesters clash in Vancouver
Police in Vancouver say they've launched a hate crime investigation after a clash between protesters with opposing views on war in the Middle East. They say it happened outside the Vancouver Art Gallery Sunday night. 

Police launch hate crime investigation after protesters clash in Vancouver

Fertility rate in Canada at the lowest

Fertility rate in Canada at the lowest
Statistics Canada says the fertility rate in Canada reached an all-time low in 2023, and the lowest rate was recorded in British Columbia. It says Canada’s fertility rate fell to 1.26 births per woman, joining the cohort of “lowest-low” fertility countries, including South Korea, Spain, Italy and Japan.

Fertility rate in Canada at the lowest

BC Greens to roll out election platform

BC Greens to roll out election platform
The B.C. Green Party is expected to be the first to roll out its complete election platform later today. Leader Sonia Furstenau is scheduled to hold a news conference in Victoria this morning.

BC Greens to roll out election platform

B.C. NDP pledges to help middle-income homebuyers with 40% of financing

B.C. NDP pledges to help middle-income homebuyers with 40% of financing
British Columbia's New Democrats have unveiled a plan that Leader David Eby says will help middle-income families purchase a home by financing 40 per cent of the price. The plan commits up to $1.29 billion per year in financing to help middle-income people buy their first home, while supporting the development of up to 25,000 new units over five years.

B.C. NDP pledges to help middle-income homebuyers with 40% of financing

Drug bust in Nanaimo

Drug bust in Nanaimo
Police in Nanaimo say a call from a member of the public has led to charges against a man and a woman accused of drug trafficking. R-C-M-P say they got the call on September 11th, leading to the arrests and seizure of a more than 500 grams of suspected methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl, as well as 430 prescription opioid pills and a loaded gun.

Drug bust in Nanaimo