Alberta's NDP government will create a dental fee guide

[calf]

Originally Posted by Locke

The word 'Fluoride' is terrifying, like it belongs on the Periodic Table or something!

The real crime was not re-branding it 'Earth-Friendly, Eco-Sustainable, Carbon Neutral, Happy Healthy Teeth Additive.'

No one would vote to take that away from the children!

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Nufy

Blue Cross has their own fee guide already.

Even with insurance I am out of pocket about 6G's a year for my family.

Just for Dental.

Blue Cross is garbage in general. We have Blue Cross coverage right now while I'm not working and it covers very little. I think I had to pay about $300 for my kids cleaning this summer. It was just a simple cleaning for two kids and x-rays for one kid. My kid just turned 7 and his teeth are going to start falling out soon any ways so why even bother with the cleaning. We'll take care of his adult teeth.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Wiggum_PI

I would say it's more of an eliminating health care premiums issue then a flat tax rate issue.

Heh, such an albertan answer.

No, it's not the lowest taxes in the country that prevent the province for extending medical coverage, it's the lack of user fees!

I want more services, but don't you dare touch my taxes.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Heh, such an albertan answer.

No, it's not the lowest taxes in the country that prevent the province for extending medical coverage, it's the lack of user fees!

I want more services, but don't you dare touch my taxes.

The Highest Marginal Tax Rate in Alberta in 2016 is 48%.

Property Taxes increased ~15%.

A Carbon Tax is being implemented.

Is our Government the Saviours from the Walking Dead? They're entitled to half our stuff? When do they come around to my house and just take what they want?

How much more do they need to make ends meet? Maybe the Government should start showing us what they can do with what they already have instead of always needing MOAR!!

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Locke

The word 'Fluoride' is terrifying, like it belongs on the Periodic Table or something!

The real crime was not re-branding it 'Earth-Friendly, Eco-Sustainable, Carbon Neutral, Happy Healthy Teeth Additive.'

No one would vote to take that away from the children!

Nobody cares about "happy" or "healthy"... those are just buzz words created by the man to trick us!!

Replace them with "All-Natural" and then we're talking.

[Flash Walken]

Have you ever thought of quitting your job as an accountant and going on tour to headline for Louis CK? You're so funny, Locke, it's a shame to see such talent wasted.

Meanwhile,

It found Alberta and Saskatchewan were the only provinces that have both the lowest personal tax and the lowest business tax burdens.

"The tax burden is a key factor affecting both the cost of living and the cost of doing business," says the report, which is based on figures from Statistics Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency.

The report relies on data through 2011 for personal taxes and 2012 for business taxes.

Last year, the Alberta government increased its corporate income tax by two per cent, and switched from a flat to a progressive rate for personal taxes.

However, University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe said its findings are likely still accurate.

"Overall, the report's pretty clear that the tax burden in Alberta compared to other provinces is much lower," Tombe said.

"And even the changes that we've seen over the last couple of years, that's not going to change that general conclusion. So taxes in Alberta are below average."

I want more stuff, gimme gimme gimme!

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Why did the city get rid of fluoride in the water again?

"Have you ever seen a Commie drink a glass of water?"

[Table 5]

Lisa needs braces!

[NuclearFart]

The Alberta Dental Association seems very self serving and rather useless to do anything proactive for patients.

Unregulated dental fees, total absence of anesthesia guidelines, and a significantly delayed action on the ridiculous cone beam CT overuse in Alberta. Their directive stinks of $$$ > patients.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Have you ever thought of quitting your job as an accountant and going on tour to headline for Louis CK? You're so funny, Locke, it's a shame to see such talent wasted.

Meanwhile,

I want more stuff, gimme gimme gimme!

Are you for serious?

It found Alberta and Saskatchewan were the only provinces that have both the lowest personal tax and the lowest business tax burdens.

"The tax burden is a key factor affecting both the cost of living and the cost of doing business," says the report, which is based on figures from Statistics Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency.

(1)The report relies on data through 2011 for personal taxes and 2012 for business taxes.

Last year, the Alberta government increased its corporate income tax by two per cent, and switched from a flat to a progressive rate for personal taxes.

However, University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe said its findings are (2) likely still accurate.

"Overall, the report's pretty clear that the tax burden in Alberta compared to other provinces is much lower," Tombe said.

"And even the changes that we've seen over the last couple of years, that's not going to change that general conclusion. So taxes in Alberta are below average."

1. Yeah, data that 4 and 5 years old. Nothing has changed in that time. No change in Governments, Oil Prices, nothing. Totally still relevant data.

2. Sure, they're 'likely' still accurate. They're 'pretty' clear.

That sounds like a lot of hard work went into that opinion and his confidence is high.

[Flash Walken]

Are you going to peer review Trevor Tombe now?

Let me know how that goes.

[calgarygeologist]

One thing that I've always wondered about is why there aren't clinics that just do cleanings vs offering full dental services (and maybe there are and I just don't know about them.) I would assume that an office only doing cleanings could do a lot more business and probably charge a lower price. During my kid's last cleaning this summer they had their work done but had to sit around for about 20 minutes with the hygienist doing nothing while they waited for the dentist to show up who took a quick look and said that everything looked okay.

Dental appointments always seem to be hugely inefficient and take way longer than they should.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by NuclearFart

The Alberta Dental Association seems very self serving and rather useless to do anything proactive for patients.

Unregulated dental fees, total absence of anesthesia guidelines, and a significantly delayed action on the ridiculous cone beam CT overuse in Alberta. Their directive stinks of $$$ > patients.

So this is actually a thing? I think my dentist has more pictures of my teeth then I have of my wedding.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Cameron Swift

I don't know how people who don't have insurance can afford it. I brought my son to the dentist this morning. A 10 minute exam cost $103.

Isn't there a different fee structure if you're not insured?

Purely anecdotal, but when I was at my former dental clinic, they asked if I had insurance. I asked why and the receptionist outright said they charge less if I'm not going through insurance.

[Nufy]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Blue Cross is garbage in general. We have Blue Cross coverage right now while I'm not working and it covers very little. I think I had to pay about $300 for my kids cleaning this summer. It was just a simple cleaning for two kids and x-rays for one kid. My kid just turned 7 and his teeth are going to start falling out soon any ways so why even bother with the cleaning. We'll take care of his adult teeth.

Agree fully, but as a contractor I need something.

If there is a better program available someone please tell me.

[Swift]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

One thing that I've always wondered about is why there aren't clinics that just do cleanings vs offering full dental services (and maybe there are and I just don't know about them.) I would assume that an office only doing cleanings could do a lot more business and probably charge a lower price. During my kid's last cleaning this summer they had their work done but had to sit around for about 20 minutes with the hygienist doing nothing while they waited for the dentist to show up who took a quick look and said that everything looked okay.

Dental appointments always seem to be hugely inefficient and take way longer than they should.

There are dental hygienist offices only. I go to Lifetime Smiles across from Southcentre 3-4 times a year and that's it. I only see a dentist if something needs to be properly looked at.

[InglewoodFan]

I looked into both Blue Cross and Manulife's benefit options when I lost my job, neither of them seem worth it. Hard to get any more out of them than you put in in premiums. Which makes sense since they are opt-in so their risk pool skews to people needing to use the benefits as opposed to company provided plans which are mandatory and spread the risk out over young single employees.



Don't forget to claim out of pocket medical, drug, and dental on your taxes to get at least some of it back. The inevitable audit hardly hurts at all.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Nufy

Agree fully, but as a contractor I need something.

If there is a better program available someone please tell me.

Do you have a grinder and some pliers? Then you've got all you need!

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Nufy

Agree fully, but as a contractor I need something.

If there is a better program available someone please tell me.

Well at Manulife you can select various levels of coverage. Some cover more/less dental depending on what you like. (And of course depending on how much you want to pay). If you want to PM me or email me, feel free.

I don't want to turn this into an ad for them, so I will just say that dental and optical should be covered by healthcare. I also think its ridiculous that people can go to the doctor for free and find out what the problem is, but then to fix the problem they pay out of pocket. I would basically guarantee there are some families that can't afford the prescriptions they need and that is a real shame.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Cameron Swift

There are dental hygienist offices only. I go to Lifetime Smiles across from Southcentre 3-4 times a year and that's it. I only see a dentist if something needs to be properly looked at.

Cool. Do you recall what the charge is for a cleaning?