By NextBestFitCover preventive and basic dental; hearing aids and glasses with limits
Cover exams, cleanings, fillings, extractions; limited coverage for crowns, implants.
Draft decision:RejectedConfidence: medium · not yet reviewed
Full dental chosen to match the cost model.
To review: The fallback if dental capacity or cost is a problem.
Review ledgerHow this path connects
This path
Cover preventive and basic dental; hearing aids and glasses with limits
Concrete changes if chosen
What would actually have to change in law, agencies, payment rules, or systems.
- Cover preventive and basic dental
- Cover hearing aids and glasses with limits
Effects
Each effect has its own page: the evidence, the case that it is or isn't a real cost, and whom it affects.
What it fixes
- Dental, vision, and hearing are mostly uncovered
Covering exams, cleanings, fillings, and extractions meets most dental needs at lower cost. Limited coverage for crowns and implants leaves gaps for major dental work.
What it creates or worsens
- Copays keep billing systems alive and still deter poorer patients
Limited dental coverage requires copays or coverage limits.
3 paths soften this
Automatic exemptions and annual collection through taxesCopays keep billing systems alive and still deter poorer patientsChosenDrop point-of-care charges entirelyCopays keep billing systems alive and still deter poorer patientsChosenOnly flat, small charges on a few servicesCopays keep billing systems alive and still deter poorer patientsRejected
Who's affected
Who gains
- Older adults
- Dental, vision, and hearing are mostly uncovered: Coverage gaps and costs lead them to skip dental and other excluded care.
- Low- and middle-income households
- Dental, vision, and hearing are mostly uncovered: Coverage gaps and costs lead them to skip dental and other excluded care.
- Health administration and software vendors
- Copays keep billing systems alive and still deter poorer patients: Copays preserve demand for billing services.
Who loses
- Health insurers, brokers, and their shareholders
- Dental, vision, and hearing are mostly uncovered: Private Medicare plans market extra benefits missing from traditional coverage.
- Cash-pay and private care practices
- Dental, vision, and hearing are mostly uncovered: Coverage gaps support cash-pay care.
- Low- and middle-income households
- Copays keep billing systems alive and still deter poorer patients: Point-of-care charges deter care, especially for poorer patients.
- People with ongoing or specialist care needs
- Copays keep billing systems alive and still deter poorer patients: Point-of-care charges deter care, especially for poorer patients.
- Hospitals, clinics, and care organizations
- Copays keep billing systems alive and still deter poorer patients: Copays require collection, exemptions, and billing work.
Where it has been tried
- Canada Dental Care Plan (2023–): More than 1 million Canadians had received care under the Canadian Dental Care Plan by October 31, 2024. Eligible services are covered at 100% of established CDCP fees for adjusted family net incomes below C$70,000, 60% for C$70,000–79,999, and 40% for C$80,000–89,999; additional provider charges may apply.Sources: Health Canada (2024)