Seniors who’ve worked and paid taxes in this country for decades are penalized if they were frugal and saved for their retirement. The income-tested cap on dental care prohibits them from claiming insured dental services. Yet the feds are footing the bill for similar benefits for people who don’t qualify to be in this country. As provinces cut back on insured services such as physiotherapy and eye care, the federal government is paying those benefits for failed refugee claimants — to the tune of almost
$1 billion. Postmedia columnist Brian Lilley reported last week that the cost of the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) soared from $60 million a year to $822 million in 2024-25. What was supposed to be a stopgap health measure for refugee and asylum claimants — until they qualify for provincial or territorial benefits — has become an entrenched handout. Instead of being deported, 74,000 failed asylum claimants are accessing IFHP coverage. Dental costs under the plan skyrocketed from $30 million to $257 million in just
five years. The PBO report says that refugees resettled were, on average, in the program for three months.
Interim Federal Health Program, IFHP, taxpayers, dental care, failed asylum claimants, Brian Lilley, PBO report, 2024-25, physiotherapy, eye care
So basically my taxes go to dental for people who didn’t qualify? Cool.
I didn’t even know there was a dental cap like that for seniors. But aren’t refugees supposed to get helped and then figure it out later? This whole “almost $1 billion” number sounds wild.
Wait, I thought if you’re in Canada you automatically get dental or at least eye care? Like I’m missing something—does the province cut it then the feds just pay instead? Also 74,000 failed asylum claimants… failed means they’re bad criminals right? Not saying, just how it reads.
This is what happens when they call it a “stopgap” but it never stops. They’re saying it went from $60 million to like $822 million, and then dental alone is $257 million. Meanwhile my aunt was struggling to get physiotherapy because her plan is capped. I’m not even anti-anyone, it’s just annoying that seniors get penalized for saving. Also how is it “failed” but still getting benefits for months? Seems backwards.