Minister for Social Affairs Jakob Forssmed (KD) presents the legislative proposal at a press conference. It concerns an enhanced high-cost protection for dental care.
Everyone who has ever needed dental care can imagine how urgent this is, says Jakob Forssmed.
Many elderly people with poorer oral health have such a need. You know you should go to the dentist because you are in pain, but at the same time you look at your account and see that the money is not enough, and you know it will only get worse.
The first step in the dental care reform is therefore aimed at the elderly with the poorest oral health, he says.
Not all dental care is included
The legislative proposal means that a special dental care allowance will be introduced. It will apply to treatments such as fillings and root canals.
Through this reform, a regulated maximum price is introduced that the patient must pay. The patient will pay at most 10 percent of the reference price, or the dentist's price if it would be lower than the reference price. The state pays 90 percent, says SD's group leader Linda Lindberg.
This means that the cost for the patient will be significantly lower than today.
An example is that if it costs 1,200 kronor to fill a cavity, the patient will only pay 120 kronor.
Not all dental care is included, such as examinations. Instead, the old high-cost protection applies, and it is also possible to receive dental care benefits.
Overall, the annual cost of dental care for the elderly is estimated to decrease by 59 percent, from 4,600 kronor to 1,900 kronor, according to the government.
The legislative changes will come into force on January 1 next year, and will apply to all those who turn 67 or older during that year.
Elderly in the first step
The costs for the state are expected to amount to between 3.4 and 4.5 billion kronor per year in this first step, which includes the elderly. The parties have already anticipated the reform by earmarking 3.4 billion kronor from 2026. In addition, free dental care for young people aged 19-23 has been withdrawn as part of the financing.
The parties call the change "historic", as the high-cost protection in dental care is strengthened to become more similar to what exists in healthcare.
The dental care reform is part of the Tidö Agreement.
