Hong Kong Immigration Life: Starting from the 1st of next month, the Community Care Fund will extend its dental service subsidy program for the elderly to eligible individuals receiving the Old Age Living Allowance. The first phase will cover 130,000 seniors aged 80 or above. The Fund has reserved HK$800 million to cover the expenses of the expanded project for the first three years.
Eligible seniors must be currently receiving the Old Age Living Allowance, require removable dentures, and have never received subsidies from the Community Care Fund or the Department of Health's dental outreach services. The subsidy cap is HK$13,950. Eligible individuals may bring their identity cards, bank account details, and other documents to over 170 elderly and community centers across Hong Kong to apply. Once the application is approved, an initial check-up will be scheduled to determine whether the applicant requires removable dentures.
Law Chi-kwong, Chairman of the Community Care Fund Task Force, stated that the age requirement for subsidized seniors will be lowered gradually. It is currently difficult to estimate the number of applicants for the first phase, and it is unknown when the project will be extended to the second phase, as this can only be estimated after the program is launched. However, sufficient funds have been reserved, and additional funding can be allocated if necessary.
He also noted that since the relevant project began in 2012, only 1,400 people have participated, which is related to the fact that the beneficiary group at that time mainly consisted of seniors receiving escort services. He hopes that more people will benefit after the expansion of the program.
