EPC scheme to be replaced by new CDHP

The Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon, today announced that the Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) Medicare Scheme for people with chronic diseases and conditions would cease to take new patients from 30 March, and in its place a new Commonwealth Dental Health Program (CDHP) would be introduced from 1 July 2008.

The discontinuation of the EPC scheme allows funding to be redirected to the new CDHP.

According to the Minister's release, "the new CDHP will provide up to one million additional dental consultations and treatments."

From 1 July 2008, the new CDHP will provide $290 million over three years to the States and Territories to help fund treatment for around 650,000 people on public dental waiting lists around the country. In addition, a new Teen Dental Plan, will also 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.

EPC patients who have already commenced treatment will be able to continue to receive benefits for dental services provided up to and including 30 June 2008.

Further information on both the wind up of the EPC scheme and the introduction of the new CDHP is expected to be issued over coming weeks.

Comment: ADAVB welcomes the injection of Commonwealth funds into public dental care, as this has been a long neglected priority. It is important to note however, that there are over 6.5 million Australians eligible for publicly funded dental care, and that less than $100m per annum of additional funding plus the funding of a dental checkup for some teenagers will not provide a complete solution to the dental waiting list problem.