The Medicare Teen Dental Plan is ending on 31 December 2013 and being replaced with the Grow Up Smiling plan from 1 January 2014.
Changes to the Medicare Teen Dental Plan
The Medicare Teen Dental Plan will be replaced with Grow Up Smiling from 1 January 2014.
Eligible teens will be able to access the Medicare Teen Dental Plan until 31 December 2013. Benefits will continue to be paid for services provided to eligible teenagers before the date of closure.
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Grow Up Smiling is a $2.7 billion measure which provides a Commonwealth funded capped benefit entitlement for basic dental services for children. Around 3.4 million children aged 2-17 in families who meet a means test will be eligible for benefits each year. The means test will be the same as the existing Medicare Teen Dental Plan, which requires receipt of Family Tax Benefit Part A or other certain government payments.
Services for basic essential dental treatment, such as check-ups, x-rays, fillings and extractions will be included, and patients will have access to dental benefit entitlements capped (indexed annually) over a two calendar year period.
For 2014, the benefit is capped at $1000 per child.
More information is available on the Department of Health and Ageing