Seniors unclear on whether they can drop their private dental insurance for national plan – CBC
Ottawa says those with dental coverage are ineligible but the rules are less clear on dropping existing plans
Feb 06, 2024
Eligible seniors are now receiving letters inviting them to sign up for Canada’s $13 billion national dental care plan — but there’s a catch.
Those who currently have private dental insurance do not qualify for the national plan.
And according to a government website explaining the plan, anyone who opts out of “available benefits” is “still considered to have access to dental insurance.”
That seems to mean that switching from a private plan to the public plan isn’t permitted. But the federal health minister’s office has yet to clarify the rule.
The uncertainty has seniors with minimal private dental coverage, or those who purchased plans themselves, wondering whether they’re being left behind.
“There’s double standards,” said 71-year old Richard McDonald-Donaldson, who has been paying $180 a month for a private insurance plan he purchased.
