Helping seniors with health costs
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As people get older, they often need to find different ways to cover their health costs. There are some government benefits that can help them do this.
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ODSP and OAS
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When a person turns 65, there's a risk that they'll no longer qualify financially for the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), including ODSP health benefits. These health benefits cover things like prescription drugs, routine eye examinations, and dental care.
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Getting these income supports likely means that their income will be too high to qualify for ODSP.
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So, before applying for GIS or GAINS, people should consider whether getting these income supports will cut them off from ODSP health benefits.
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ODSP's Extended Health Benefit
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- are no longer eligible for ODSP because their income is too high, and
- have high health costs.
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The EHB can help with the cost of:
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- prescription drugs and medical supplies
- dental and vision care
- travelling to medical appointments
- assistive devices, such as hearing aids
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As well, to qualify for the EHB, their health costs must be higher than the difference between:
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- their current income, and
- the amount of ODSP income support that they had been getting each month.
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For example, a person might have been getting $1,169 from ODSP each month and now they get $1,199 with OAS. This means they have $30 more in income each month. If their health expenses are more than $30, they can apply for the EHB.
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They apply through their local ODSP office. And they need proof of their health costs, such as a list of prescription drug costs from their pharmacy.
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CPP disability benefits and retirement pension
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CPP disability benefits are fixed monthly payments. The amount a person gets depends on how much they contributed to the CPP, not on the cost of their medical expenses.
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The CPP retirement pension pays less than CPP disability benefits. This leaves some seniors without enough money to cover their health costs.
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Seniors Co-Payment Program
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All Ontario residents who are 65 and older, automatically qualify for the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) program. The ODB covers a certain amount of prescription costs depending on the person's income. And they must pay a deductible each year, which is the first $100 of their yearly prescription costs.
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- single people over 65 who have an income of less than $22,200, and
- couples with at least one spouse over 65 and a combined income of $37,100 or less.
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There's no annual deductible and people only pay up to $2 for each prescription.
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New tax credit for people over 70
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In 2022, the Government of Ontario created the Ontario Seniors Care at Home Tax Credit, a new refundable tax credit for residents who:
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- are over 70, and
- earn less than $65,000 a year.
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The tax credit lets people claim a refund of up to 25% of their eligible medical expenses up to $6,000. The maximum credit is $1,500.
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Eligible medical expenses are the same as those claimed through the existing Ontario Medical Expense Tax Credit, and include:
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- attendant care
- assistive breathing devices
- dental, vision, and hearing care
- wheelchairs and electric scooters
- hospital beds and bathroom aids
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To get the credit, the person must claim their eligible medical expenses on their income tax return. People can claim this new credit as well as the existing Ontario Medical Expense Tax Credit.
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Where to get help
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Related resources
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