First steps in implementing new Commonwealth Dental Health Program
A new Commonwealth Dental Health Program has been announced by the Australian Government.
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2 March 2008
NR08/27
The Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon, today announced the first steps to establish a new Commonwealth Dental Health Program and fix Australia’s dental crisis.
The Commonwealth Dental Health Program (CDHP) will replace the Howard Government’s failed Medicare dental scheme for people with chronic and complex conditions. The discontinuation of that scheme, confirmed today, permits funding to be redirected to the new CDHP.
The Howard Government’s scheme helped only around 15,000 people in almost four years. The new CDHP will provide up to one million additional dental consultations and treatments.
From 1 July 2008, following the cessation of the Howard Government’s scheme, the Commonwealth will provide $290 million over three years to the states and territories to bring relief to the 650,000 people on public dental waiting lists around the country.
This will be in addition to the Government’s new Teen Dental Plan, to provide $150 per person towards an annual preventative check for around 1.1 million teenagers aged 12 to 17 years in families receiving Family Tax Benefit A, and teenagers in the same age group receiving Youth Allowance or Abstudy.
Patients who have already commenced treatment under the Medicare dental items introduced in November 2007 will be able to continue to receive benefits for dental services provided up to and including 30 June 2008. However, the Medicare dental program will not accept new patients after 30 March 2008.
Negotiations with the states and territories will ensure that needy patients with chronic care needs will receive treatment.
The Department of Health and Ageing is advising medical and dental representative groups about cessation of the program to allow them to inform their members as soon as possible. Letters will also be sent to existing patients, GPs and participating dental practitioners to inform them of the discontinuation arrangements.
For further information about the discontinuation of the chronic care Medicare dental items, GPs and dental practitioners can call Medicare Australia on 132 150. Patients can call Medicare Australia on 132 011.
Media inquiries only - Mark Ward - 0437 125 938
For all general inquiries, please contact the Minister's office on 02 6277 7220
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