Yes, it's an interim program. Nevertheless, the funding envelope for health is the same for everyone. We don't have a penny to waste. We need to make sure that a full $650 worth of services have been rendered for the $650 we send. In some cases, parents may only need half of that amount to cover dental expenses for their child. We can't just send that money for nothing. Otherwise, there will be a problem: We would be wasting money that could be invested elsewhere, for other types of care. We have no money to waste in health care.
Doesn't this method feel rushed? I'm not saying it, it's the Parliamentary Budget Officer.
Have you warned the government that this might lead to fraud? That's what happened with the Canada emergency response benefit.