Charlene Scott is adamant about getting the Yukon government to change how it determines income for Yukoners applying to the Yukon dental program.
“I’m not going to give up,” she said.
Scott believes she has identified an administrative flaw that she argues inflates her income, thus putting her just over the threshold and excluding her from being eligible for the program.
The way she sees it, she’s probably not the only senior who is being affected by the paperwork for the program overstating her income.
Scott is keen to bring the Yukon dental program in line with other territorial and federal programs.
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As a senior who worked for decades, Scott splits her pension with her husband, which means she transferred about $20,000 to him in 2022.
She noted the Yukon dental program uses line 15000 of one’s notice of assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency, while the federal dental program and other territorial programs, like the pioneer utility grant, use line 23600 to determine an applicant’s income.
For Scott, the problem is that line 15000 lists one’s total income before deductions (like the transfer to her husband), which is known as gross income.
On the other hand, line 23600 represents one’s net income, which is used to calculate amounts such as the Canada child benefit, GST/HST credit, social benefits repayment and certain other credits.
“I’m not understanding why the territory isn’t using the same process as the federal government,” Scott said.
Yukon NDP Leader Kate White championed the Yukon dental program under the territorial NDP-Liberal confidence and supply agreement, commonly referred to as CASA.
White told the News by phone on April 4 that she has had conversations with other seniors in the same boat as Scott.
“I think that the precedent is already set in the Yukon,” White said.
While White can’t direct how things that fall under CASA are rolled out by the governing Yukon Liberal Party, she agrees with Scott that the Yukon dental program should use line 23600.
White raised the issue in writing to the minister and in the legislature about a year ago but has yet to see a difference.
Health Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee responded to White in a letter dated April 21, 2023.
In the letter, McPhee explains how the Yukon government establishes eligibility criteria.
McPhee’s letter welcomes feedback as part of a review of the Yukon dental program “to ensure we are meeting the needs of Yukoners.”
McPhee indicated all aspects of eligibility will be reviewed.
The Health and Social Services department has heard about a perceived problem using line 15000, which reflects “each individual’s total income,” according to an email from Zachary Burke in health department communications. The department didn’t make anyone available for an interview upon the News’ request on April 4.
“Line 23600 is net income, and reflects income split between partners. Some seniors are familiar with the use of line 23600 for the pioneer utility grant, which uses net household income in their assessment and have expressed an issue with this line not being used to determine eligibility for the Yukon dental program,” Burke wrote.
Since health is an “individualized matter,” using line 15000 supports the autonomy of the individual, per Burke.
As for Scott, she has already sought help from the department. She has made her case to McPhee. She has turned to the opposition parties. She said she was meeting Yukon Party health critic Brad Cathers after her interview with the News on April 4. Cathers’ office confirmed her casework has been dropped off for review. She has gone to the Canada Revenue Agency for advice. She has spoken out in the newspaper.
Scott’s next step is complaining to the Yukon ombudsman.
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com