The Canadian Dental Care Plan restricts access to the program as follows * :

"To be eligible for the CDCP, you cannot have access to private dental insurance or coverage, including health spending accounts which cover dental costs, through any of the following:

• your work or pension plan
• a family member's work or pension plan
• a professional or student organization
• insurance or coverage purchased by yourself or a family member for dental costs, including any purchased enhancements, supplementary or top-up insurance that provides dental care coverage"

The plan goes on to explain:

"You are not eligible for the CDCP if you have private dental insurance or coverage, even if:

• you have never used it
• you decided not to enrol in it
• you have to pay a premium for it
• you opted out of your pension dental insurance or coverage after December 11, 2023 (whether or not you can opt back in)
• it does not cover the full cost of your dental care"

As a consequence of the above, the $350 health care spending account prevents retirees from being eligible to the federal plan. This is built into the 2023 regulations and changing the regulations would be the only way to change this situation.

* See the terms on the CANADA.CA Website.