In 2014, the government of BC declared October RDSP Awareness Month to help raise awareness about the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) and its prerequisite, the Disability Tax Credit (DTC).
The RDSP was created by the federal government as a long-term savings plan for people with disabilities and their families. Eligible people can benefit from an RDSP even if they cannot put any money into the plan and it will not affect their other disability benefits. Individuals 49 and under who qualify for the RDSP may be eligible for government grants and bonds, which can total up to $90,000 over the lifetime of the RDSP – even with little to no personal contributions.
We’ve just launched our updated DTC tool, now called “My DTC”, to help people get the process started. Check it out here! We will be joining our Access RDSP partners in hosting online “Ask the Experts” webinars on the DTC and RDSP. Register for the October 9th session here or the October 30th session here. We are also introducing the DTC Medical Fees Fund—a fundraiser to help people cover the cost of out-of-pocket medical fees when applying for the DTC.
You can also find information at https://www.rdsp.com/supports-and-services/access_rdsp about Access RDSP, a partnership between DABC, Plan Institute and BC Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS). Access RDSP provides free year-round support on the RDSP and DTC.
Follow us this month on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to see everything we are doing to celebrate. And use #RDSPAwarenessMonth when you’re talking about RDSP Awareness Month!
The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) is a new program from the federal government intended to help Canadians who experience financial barriers to adequate oral health care—specifically, households with an annual income of below $90,000 who have no existing dental coverage.
The CDCP began its invitations for applications in phases. Beginning in December 2023, seniors (65+) were the first group invited to apply for the CDCP.
As of June 27th 2024, children under the age of 18, as well as adults between the ages of 18 and 65 who have a valid Disability Tax Credit (DTC) certificate are now able to apply online and over the phone. DABC offers resources and services to help residents of BC apply for the DTC. Please call 604-872-1278 or email rdsp@dabc.ca for more information.
To be eligible to receive coverage from the CDCP, you must:
Have an adjusted family net income of less than $90,000
Be a Canadian Resident
Have filed your tax return for the previous year and received your Notice of Assessment
Have no access to dental coverage* (see below for specifics)
*Access to Dental Coverage includes:
From an employer, or a family member’s employer (including health and wellness accounts) *
From a professional or student organization*
*** This applies even if you:
Decide not to take it
Have to pay a premium for it
Do not use it
From a pension or a family member’s pension (including all government employer pension plans)
You may still be eligible if you’re retired and opted out of pension benefits before December 11th, 2023
From a purchased plan or group plan through a private insurance company
This does not include dental coverage from existing provincial, territorial or federal social programs, including PWD. You can still apply for the CDCP. This existing coverage will work alongside the CDCP to ensure there are no gaps in coverage. In British Columbia, these social programs include the Healthy Kids Program and BC Employment and Assistance (BCEA) Program. You can find out how these plans will be coordinated with the CDCP here: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/dental/dental-care-plan/providers/fact-sheet-bc.html
If SDPR clients have CDCP coverage:
They will need to provide their CDCP card to the dental provider to determine how much will be covered by the CDCP program as the first payer.
If there is an amount left over, the dental provider will connect with PBC to determine how much will be covered as the second payer.
In some cases, the combination of CDCP and PBC will cover the full amount of the dental service.
If there is an outstanding amount remaining the dental provider will let the client know how much they would need to pay.
It is beneficial for clients to apply for CDCP as they may cover a portion of the dental expenses not covered by PBC. If SDPR clients do not have CDCP coverage, there is no change, and dental providers will follow the current process with PBC.
To apply, you must be able to provide your (and, if applicable, your spouse’s or common-law partner’s):
Full Name
Date of Birth
Social Insurance Number (SIN)
Home and Mailing Address
Your Notice of Assessment from your 2023 tax return
List of existing coverage you have through government social programs
If you are applying on behalf of someone else, you cannot apply online. If you are not able to apply online, you can apply through phone by calling 1-833-537-4342.
You can ask a trusted individual to help you apply over the phone. You must be able to provide clear consent that you agree to let them help you on the phone call.
The CDCP is administrated by Health Canada and coverage will be managed through Sun Life. If your application is approved, you will receive a package from Sun Life in the mail within three months of applying. This package will include a membership card, a coverage start date, and a summary of CDCP covered services. Services received before this start date will not be eligible for reimbursement from the CDCP.
To receive CDCP coverage, you can book an appointment on or after the coverage start date with a participating oral health care provider. These providers must have voluntarily signed up to participate in the CDCP. Please ask the provider before booking the appointment if they are participating in the CDCP or alternatively, you can check Sun Life’s list of participating providers here: https://www.sunlife.ca/sl/cdcp/en/member/provider-search/
These participating providers will directly bill CDCP for reimbursement.
Beginning July 8th 2024, it will be possible for oral health care providers who have not voluntarily signed up to participate in the CDCP, by direct billing Sun Life on a claim-by-claim basis. This means if you have a preferred provider who has not signed up for CDCP, the provider can agree to direct bill Sun Life for services that are covered by CDCP.
Before you receive care from any provider, you should also:
Ask if there are any costs you will be responsible for, beyond co-payment (see below for co-payment details).
Never pay fully for the services in advance with the expectation that Sun Life will reimburse you. Sun Life will not reimburse a CDCP patient, only providers.
CDCP Coverage of Services
The CDCP will cover the cost of oral health care services based on an established list of CDCP “fees”. This means that for any CDCP approved oral health care service, there is a set amount or “fee” the CDCP will cover for that service. This amount may not be covered completely. This is based on your income, which may result in co-payment.
Co-Payment Levels
Depending on your adjusted family net income below $90,000, CDCP will only cover a portion of CDCP established fees.
Lower than $70,000: CDCP will cover 100% of CDCP established fees
From $70,000 to $79,999: CDCP will cover 60% of CDCP fees
From $80,000 to $89,000: CDCP will cover 40% of CDCP fees
Scope of Services and CDCP Fees
Please refer to the Canada Dental Care Benefits Guide for the list of approved services covered, as well as the frequency limits of those services. There are also different requirements for different services. This can include the type of the tooth, the age of the patient, health conditions and more. The general list of services includes:
preventive services, including scaling (cleaning), sealants and fluoride
diagnostic services, including examinations and x-rays
restorative services, including fillings
endodontic services, including root canal treatments
prosthodontic services, including:
complete dentures, and
partial removable dentures
periodontal services, including deep scaling
oral surgery services, including extractions
Many services require preauthorization from the CDCP. This means that the service must be approved by the CDCP prior to being performed, using the recommendation of the health care service provider. These preauthorization services will not be available for coverage until November 2024. Orthodontic services will require preauthorization and will not be available for coverage until 2025.
Preauthorization for services will take disability status into account. This means that for individuals with a higher need for care in different service areas, the CDCP may approve coverage beyond the established service and frequency guidelines.
CDCP fees are established by the Canadian government and are not based on provincial and territorial health care providers’ associations fee guides. You can find the established fees on Sun Life’s Dental Benefit Grids here: https://www.sunlife.ca/sl/cdcp/en/provider/dental-benefit-grids/
This means that the service provider fee may be more than the established CDCP fee and will require the patient to pay for a portion of the service themselves. This is why it is important to clarify CDCP coverage before receiving any service.
Coverage Period and Re-Enrollment
The CDCP coverage period will extend for 1 calendar year from July 1st to June 30th. Individuals will have to re-enroll every year by July 1st to ensure they continue to meet all eligibility criteria. The details for this process have not been announced.
How we can help
For more information on the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) please click here.
The Access RDSP Program can help you apply for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC). Please email rdsp@dabc.ca or call 604-923-8136 for more information.
The Tax AID Partnership can help file your 2023 taxes. Find local support near you:
METRO VANCOUVER AND FRASER VALLEY (and all of BC)
Disability Alliance BC
1450-605 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC, V6B 5J3
Tel: 236-477-1717 Toll Free 1-877-940-7797 taxaid@dabc.ca
BC INTERIOR
Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society
442 Leon Ave, Kelowna, BC V1Y 6J3
Tel: 250-763-4905 taxdisability@kfs.bc.ca
VANCOUVER ISLAND
Together Against Poverty Society
828 View Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1K2
Tel: 250-361-3521 tax@tapsbc.ca
NORTHERN BC
Active Support Against Poverty Society
1188 6 Ave, Prince George, BC V2L 3M6
Tel: 250-563-6112 Toll-free: 1-877-563-6112 taxaid@asaphs.com
Disability Alliance BC is updating our Disability Tax Credit (DTC) tool to make the application process easier for everyone, and we would like to hear from you! We’re still seeking participants for our focus group – we invite you to test out our new updated DTC tool and give us feedback on how to make the tool useful and accessible to you.
The DTC is an important benefit that reduces taxes and provides access to important tax related benefits like the Child Disability Benefit, Canada Worker’s Benefit Disability Supplement, and financial programs like the Registered Disability Savings Plan, Canada Dental Care Plan (June 2024), and Canada Disability Benefit (2025).
Honoraria provided in the form of gift cards.
Email rdsp@dabc.ca to find out more information and express your interest in joining.
Earlier this year, DABC Board member Sarina Mawji gave a 20-minute talk to kick off Lupus Society (BC)'S 1st in-person Annual Symposium. Sarina has decades
