The department of Health said it has concerns as the cabinet expands its national dental care program, private employers currently offering dental care to most Canadians nationwide may transfer the expense to taxpayers.. Dental care .“It is something we are concerned about,” Lindy Van Amburg, director general of the task force, told the Senate Social Affairs committee..“Certainly, we are looking at ways to make sure those who currently provide coverage will continue to do so. I would say, however, we will need to be very careful about what the levers are.”.Bill C-47 the Budget Implementation Act states all employers offering dental coverage must report this information to the Canada Revenue Agency by December 31. .According to Blacklock’s Reporter, failure to comply could result in fines of $100. Van Amburg described this requirement as a data collection exercise..“It recognizes employer-sponsored benefits are the largest source of dental coverage for Canadians, but currently there is no way to reliably determine who does and who does not have employment-offered coverage,” said Van Amburg. .According to the Canadian Dental Association, approximately 32% of Canadians do not have dental insurance..The current government program provides a tax-free payment of $650 per year for children under 12 in households with incomes below $70,000. .The Cabinet suggested expanding the program to include individuals of all ages living in households with incomes below $70,000. Additionally, households earning between $70,000 and $90,000 would be eligible for reduced grants under the proposed plan..“Are there any provisions or mechanisms the government can use to monitor and prevent the practice of clawing back coverage by insurance companies?” asked Sen. Sharon Burey (ON). .“A legislative basis for the overall delivery of the plan is still being finalized by the government,” replied Van Amburg..“I would say there is strong interest in making sure the plan, which is intended to cover individuals earning under $90,000 a year who are uninsured, that number does not grow much larger for the very reason you are talking about,” said Van Amburg. .Parliament could not force employers to keep their plans, said Van Amburg..“The levers that exist in provinces — we’ve seen them used in Québec and other places, where they can legislate or regulate the coverage employers need to provide — is provincial and territorial jurisdiction,” said Van Amburg. .“Those levers will not be available the same way for a federally delivered plan. But certainly, it's something we are concerned about and looking at very carefully as we finalize the design of the plan.”.“Is there any plan to monitor this practice in a systematic way?” asked Burey. .“We are looking to see how we can track that,” replied Van Amburg..The Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) expressed concerns on October 27 during testimony at the Senate National Finance committee. .The CDHA was worried employers might choose to end private dental plans to save money..“In terms of the fear for employers to drop their plan, it is a real fear,” said Ondina Love, president of the CDHA.
