First aid covered by the new Canadian dental insurance plan will be offered in May.
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While Quebec wants to withdraw from the new Canadian dental insurance plan created by Ottawa, we must admit that this plan is popular with Quebecers. It is in this province that the program is the most popular in the country.
Nearly 1.4 million Canadians have registered for dental insurance to date. A third of these registrations are in Quebec. But a few weeks before the first appointments, there is still a lot of confusion about this program, both on the part of health professionals and that of the beneficiaries.
To ensure awareness of this program, New Democratic MP Alexandre Boulerice undertook a tour of residences for the elderly (RPA) in his riding, an opportunity to provide information and remind voters that the program is part of the agreement that the New Democratic Party (NDP) concluded with the Liberals so that they could remain in power.
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New Democrat MP Alexandre Boulerice visited a dozen seniors' residences to explain the new program.
In the cafeteria of an RPA on Papineau Street, in Montreal, the MP distributes leaflets before speaking to residents. “If you register, you will be able to go to the dentist and you will not have to pay money and then get reimbursed,” explains the deputy leader of the NDP. “The bill is going to be sent directly to Ottawa. It could be a prosthesis, implants or dentures. “It's all covered,” he told a crowd captivated by the subject.
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Among the particularly attentive residents is Jules Plourde. I have a prosthesis on top, but the one on the bottom is now too big, so I haven't worn it for at least four or five years, he says, apologizing for the problem with ;speech that this causes him.
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Jules Bordeleau, 82 years old
The 82-year-old was one of the first age groups to sign up, and now he's anxiously waiting to make an appointment. His MP tells him that he will have to wait until May.
“Making prosthetics costs at least $3,000 minimum , and we don’t have all of that, the money,” he says. “Our nest egg is starting to thin quite a bit,” continues Mr. Bordeleau. But he'll probably have to dip into his savings.
The fees reimbursed by the government are often much lower than the fee schedule for denturists, and Ottawa allows them to bill patients the difference.
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Since the elderly are the first people eligible for this plan, the enthusiasm for this program complicates the task of denturists. In fact, seniors represent nearly 80% of their clientele.
In Quebec, we are the most toothless province in Canada. There is a real need for prostheses.
A quote from Raymond Lagacé, president of the Order of Denturists of Quebec
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Raymond Lagacé, president of the Order of Denturists of Quebec
The president of the Order of Denturists does not question the necessity of the program and he invites its members to join it, but Raymond Lagacé does not hesitate to say that denturists are the guinea pigs of this regime and that 'they are currently paying the price.
People are all postponing their appointments, obviously, they are waiting for it to be free, notes Linda Gaudreault. This denturist from Saguenay estimates that her clientele has dropped by 75% since the government announced its program in December. Conversely, it expects to be overwhelmed by demand when the costs are reimbursed. “The main problem is that it was announced too quickly. It was not ready to implement,” she adds.
People should expect to have to pay part of their own money.
A quote from Linda Gaudreault, denturist
She also criticizes the government for not having given the truth about pricing. She gives the example of an upper prosthesis for which the program will reimburse her $1,226. I dug through my files to see what date these fees were charged. That's over 10 years ago. Patients will have 30 to 40% [of the amount] to pay.
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Denturist Linda Gaudreault deplores the confusion surrounding the creation of the new regime.
The federal Minister of Public Services and Supply, Jean-Yves Duclos, admits for his part that there are discrepancies in the price scales, but that does not worry him. There are legitimate questions that many people are asking. This is normal, since it is the first time in the country's history that such a program has been put in place, he said.
The rates reimbursed by the Canadian government are in most cases very close to the rate scales of the associations, but there are several cases [where] it 'is inferior.
A quote from Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services and Procurement
He also recognizes that although wires remain to be attached. In total, nine million Canadians will be eligible, half in 2024 and the other half in 2025. So we'll probably be talking about it for a while, he concludes.
Natasha Kumar has been a reporter on the news desk since 2018. Before that she wrote about young adolescence and family dynamics for Styles and was the legal affairs correspondent for the Metro desk. Before joining The Times Hub, Natasha Kumar worked as a staff writer at the Village Voice and a freelancer for Newsday, The Wall Street Journal, GQ and Mirabella. To get in touch, contact me through my natasha@thetimeshub.in 1-800-268-7116
