Dental care is the most expensive and most regularly delayed sort of well being care in Canada—even amongst these with insurance coverage—in line with new findings launched Tuesday.
The information comes from the 2025 Insurance coverage Entry and Affordability Research by PolicyMe, a Toronto-based insurance coverage expertise firm, in partnership with the Angus Reid Discussion board. The net survey polled 1,502 Canadians between Might 9 and 12.
The survey discovered that dental care is probably the most generally delayed service, with 35 per cent of respondents saying they’ve skipped or lowered dental visits. Dental care can also be probably the most frequent out-of-pocket well being expense, with 60 per cent of Canadians saying they’ve paid for it themselves—greater than for pharmaceuticals (55 per cent) or imaginative and prescient care (54 per cent).
“Even with insurance coverage, many plans don’t totally cowl dental cleanings, procedures or orthodontics,” mentioned Andrew Ostro, CEO and co-founder of PolicyMe. “So individuals find yourself paying out of pocket anyway, which generally is a barrier, particularly for households, younger adults and retirees on fastened or decrease incomes.”
“This exhibits an actual must modernize advantages and provides Canadians entry to extra complete, versatile choices that really match their wants at the moment.” Andrew Ostro, CEO and co-founder of PolicyMe.
Out-of-pocket prices proceed to rise
Even when care isn’t delayed, Canadians usually discover themselves paying out of pocket. The survey discovered 29 per cent of respondents had spent greater than $1,000 out of pocket on well being or dental providers up to now yr, whereas 9 per cent spent over $3,000.
Older Canadians (aged 55 and up) reported the very best out-of-pocket prices, averaging $1,321 yearly—virtually double the $686 common for these aged 18 to 34. Regionally, British Columbians reported the very best annual common at $1,188, whereas residents of Saskatchewan reported the bottom at $908.
“This exhibits an actual must modernize advantages and provides Canadians entry to extra complete, versatile choices that really match their wants at the moment,” Ostro mentioned.
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Majority with insurance coverage nonetheless delay care
The findings counsel that price stays a significant barrier to accessing care even for these with protection. About 52 per cent of insured Canadians mentioned they’ve delayed well being appointments on account of price, in comparison with 71 per cent of these with out insurance coverage.
“In lots of circumstances, the plans individuals have are inadequate to completely cowl the providers they want, usually on account of excessive deductibles, co-pays or exclusions that depart important providers unaffordable,” Ostro mentioned. “Canadians have to be taking a better take a look at the protection they’ve and see if there are higher plans accessible.”
“Gen Z is ageing out of parental plans and coming into a workforce that usually lacks conventional advantages.” The report.
Concern of dropping protection amid financial instability
The survey additionally discovered that 36 per cent of Canadians are involved their employer-sponsored protection may very well be lowered or eradicated on account of financial pressures. Considerations have been highest in British Columbia (43 per cent) and amongst Gen Xers (42 per cent).
Though 78 per cent of Canadians reported having some type of well being or dental insurance coverage, older Canadians stay the almost certainly to be uninsured—21 per cent of these aged 55 and up mentioned they haven’t any protection in any respect. PolicyMe’s generational information echoes that discovering, displaying that 21 per cent of Child Boomers and 20 per cent of Gen Zers are uninsured.
“Gen Z is ageing out of parental plans and coming into a workforce that usually lacks conventional advantages,” the report famous, “whereas Boomers are transitioning off employer-sponsored protection and into a fancy particular person market.”
PolicyMe additionally famous a rise in first-time insurance coverage patrons amongst Canadians aged 55 and older.
The discovering is in step with the federal government’s personal information. In keeping with the Canadian Oral Well being Survey for fiscal yr 2024, price was cited as a “main barrier” to care, with 24 per cent of Canadians aged 12 and up reporting they’d prevented seeing a dental skilled up to now yr due to it.
Because of this the federal authorities launched the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), following Statistics Canada information displaying that almost one-third of Canadians lack dental insurance coverage—a problem that proved to be a fashionable vote-winner.