With extra seniors accessing the federal Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), the native company facilitating Ontario’s program for this demographic has determined to finish its service settlement in Haliburton County in January.
The Haliburton Echo reported Wednesday that Dr. Natalie Bocking, medical officer of well being and CEO of the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Well being Unit, advised a well being board assembly that the CDCP has led to fewer seniors counting on the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program (OSDCP).
“The purchasers they’re seeing at the moment are accessing that service via different dental care suppliers via the federal program,” Bocking mentioned. “So, it doesn’t end in any recipients or purchasers shedding service.”
Ontario launched the OSDCP in 2019 to supply low-income seniors with free routine dental care via public well being models and group well being centres. At its inception, this system coated Ontarians aged 65 and older with annual incomes of as much as $22,200 for people and $37,100 for {couples}—a virtually $5,000 improve from the earlier earnings thresholds.
CDCP affords broader protection
The federal CDCP affords broader protection, requiring an adjusted household web earnings of lower than $90,000 to qualify. Seniors aged 70 and older turned eligible for this system on Might 1, whereas these aged 65 to 69 had been in a position to apply earlier within the 12 months. In July, protection expanded to incorporate different eligible seniors, youngsters beneath 18, and adults with a legitimate Incapacity Tax Credit score certificates. This system will proceed to roll out further protection via 2025.
Haliburton County’s inhabitants is considerably older than the provincial common. In 2022, the median age in Ontario was 41.8, whereas the common Haliburton County resident was 52.8 years outdated, in accordance with Statistics Canada. Moreover, the proportion of seniors within the county is rising. In 2022, 35.2 per cent of the inhabitants—roughly 7,250 individuals—had been aged 65 or older, in comparison with 32.9 per cent, or 5,940 individuals, in 2016.