Global Courant 2023-04-21 21:30:47
OTTAWA –
A health insurers association warns that it may not be worth it for small businesses to offer dental benefits to some employees once the government launches a national dental plan, offering a tax credit to convince them not to drop their coverage.
The Liberals announced in their latest federal budget that they would spend $13 billion over the next five years to give uninsured low- and middle-income Canadians access to dental care through a federal insurance plan.
The program is a key element of the supply and confidence deal the Liberals signed with the NDP last year to prevent elections before 2025.
The association is proposing that the government issue a 35 percent tax credit for small businesses as a strong incentive to maintain their existing insurance plans.
Health benefits, including dental costs, are deductible expenses for businesses, but the association says small businesses don’t see the same benefits as large corporations.
Don Davies, health critic for the NDP, says he is aware of concerns about small businesses dropping coverage, but has seen no evidence of this, and is not convinced it will become a serious problem.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on April 21, 2023.
