Get Dental Care for Less Money
Ablang
Jordan Braverman, MPH
D ental care is rarely covered by Medicare... few retirees have dental
insurance... and those who do have dental insurance often find that
their coverage is very limited.
Dental bills average around $677 per year for the typical senior, and
a major procedure, such as a root canal or a dental implant, can push
that tab into four or even five figures.
Exception: Medicare usually will pay dental bills if they are related
to a medical incident that requires a hospital stay, such as jaw
reconstruction following a car accident.
Some resources that could help you dramatically reduce your dental
bills or even provide dental care for free...
health INSURANCE
Insurance can help pay dental bills. Options to consider...
Dental insurance. If you have access to subsidized group dental
insurance through an employer or former employer, it likely is worth
having. If not, the case for dental insurance is less compelling.
Dental insurance typically features copayments as high as 50%...
annual benefit caps in the low four figures... often long waiting
periods before expensive procedures are covered... and usually only
80% coverage if your dentist is out of network. Dental insurance
premiums for seniors are about $480 per year for individual plans.
That’s a steep price for such limited coverage, but not necessarily an
awful deal if you have reason to believe that you will require
significant dental work within a few years, perhaps because your
dentist has warned you that a major procedure cannot be put off too
much longer.
If you do decide to sign up for dental insurance, consider the
policies offered through AARP. Rates on AARP dental policies often are
a bit lower than what comparable individual dental coverage would cost
elsewhere.
More information: Visit www3.deltadentalins.com/aarp/.
If you do have dental insurance, confirm that your dentist will accept
it before agreeing to any procedure. Work with him/her to get the most
out of the insurance if he does.
Example: If the dental work you require is not an emergency and
significantly exceeds your coverage’s annual benefits cap, ask your
dentist if the work -- and the bill -- could be spread out over two or
more plan years.
Private health insurance. If you do not have dental insurance but have
private health insurance in addition to Medicare, this health
insurance could include some basic dental benefits. Read the plan
literature or call the insurance company’s customer service department
to find out.
Medical flexible spending accounts (FSAs). FSAs can substantially trim
the effective cost of dental care by allowing patients to pay for
health-care bills -- including dental bills -- with pretax dollars.
Unfortunately for retirees, FSAs are available only to employees whose
employers offer FSAs as part of their benefits packages.
HAGGLING
Dentists’ bills often are negotiable -- but only if you discuss costs
before having the dental work done. Ask if you can get a senior
discount or a cash discount if you pay in cash. Either of these
appeals could net you savings of 5% to 10%.
Call other dentists’ offices to ask their prices for the procedure. If
you find a better rate, tell your dentist that you are on a tight
budget and ask if he can match the lower price.
Get a second opinion before agreeing to any major procedure. There’s a
chance that your dentist could be recommending an expensive procedure
that is not necessary. Have your dental files, including the most
recent test results and X-rays, forwarded to the dentist who will
provide this second opinion so that you do not have to pay to have
these repeated. You will have to pay for the second opinion, but the
cost of a simple office visit is so much lower than the cost of an
elaborate dental procedure that it can be a smart investment if there
is any chance that the original dentist was wrong.
If you have a LIMITED INCOME
You probably can get dental care even if your financial resources are
very limited...
Medicaid. Medicaid is available only to those with low incomes and
limited assets. Eligibility rules and program benefits vary by state.
In most states, Medicaid provides at least basic dental care for those
living near or below the poverty line.
To find out if you qualify, contact your state’s Medicaid Office.
(Visit www.benefits.gov, select Medicaid/Medicare from the Benefits
Quick Search menu, then choose your home state. Or call 800-333-4636
for a contact phone number for your state’s Medicaid office.)
Helpful: Nursing homes are legally required to arrange for dental care
for residents who use Medicaid to pay for their stays. That typically
means that they must either bring a dentist to the nursing home or
transport the resident to a dentist’s office to receive care.
Local and state dental associations. Many have programs that provide
dental services for free or reduced rates to those in financial need.
Services are provided by dentists who volunteer their time.
Eligibility requirements vary.
State and local dental associations can be found on the Web site of
the American Dental Association (ADA) -- at www.ada.org, select
"Dental Organizations" off the menu, then check both the "Constituent
(State) Directory" and the "Component (Local) Directory" to find
relevant associations. Or call the ADA at 312-440-2500 and ask for
your state dental association’s phone number.
Example: The Connecticut Dental Association sponsors an annual
"Mission of Mercy" program that provides free cleanings, extractions
and fillings on a first-come, first-served basis. Unlike most programs
of this sort, Connecticut’s Mission of Mercy does not require proof of
limited income. See the Connecticut State Dental Association’s Web
site for more information (www.csda.com/ctmom/ctmom4.html).
Public or nonprofit dental clinics. Available in many regions, these
typically charge very low rates, perhaps linked to the patients’
ability to pay. In some cases, treatment is free. Your area Agency on
Aging should be able to direct you to any dental clinics in your
region and might know of other local low-cost dental options for
seniors. (Call the US Administration on Aging’s Eldercare Locator,
800-677-1116, or use the Locator on the Web at www.eldercare.gov to
find your local Agency on Aging if you cannot locate it in your phone
book.) Your local or state dental association also might know of area
clinics.
MONEY-SAVING OPTIONS
If you are too well off to qualify for low-income dental programs,
consider these options...
Local dental colleges. Performed for perhaps half the usual cost, the
work is done by dental students under the supervision of qualified
instructors. The quality of the dental care tends to be good...
however, a dental school might not provide a full range of dental
services. The American Dental Education Association Web site can help
you find dental schools in your region. (At www.adea.org, click "About
ADEA" then "Who We Are," and "Predoctoral Dental Education Programs.")
Typing "dental schools" and the name of your state into Google.com
also can help you find any schools in your region.
Retail dental centers. Usually located in shopping malls, they
typically charge 10% to 20% less than
Bottom Line/Retirement interviewed Jordan Braverman, MPH, former
director of legislative and health policy analysis at Georgetown
University’s Health Policy Center, Washington, DC. He is author of
several books on health-care policy and financing, including Your
Money & Your Health (Prometheus).
Rick
> Get Dental Care for Less Money
>
> Jordan Braverman, MPH
>
> D ental care is rarely covered by Medicare...
Actually "never" - until it is "oral surgery" then it is covered.
This is a terrible oversight and I WONDER why it
is Not Part of the Health Care debate!
The rest of this seems like very good advice:
> few retirees have [can afford] dental
> insurance... and those who do have dental insurance often find that
> their coverage is very limited.
>
> Dental bills average around $677 per year for the typical senior, and
> a major procedure, such as a root canal or a dental implant, can push
> that tab into four or even five figures.
>
> Exception: Medicare usually will pay dental bills if they are related
> to a medical incident that requires a hospital stay, such as jaw
> reconstruction following a car accident.
>
> Some resources that could help you dramatically reduce your dental
> bills or even provide dental care for free...
>
> health INSURANCE
>
> Insurance can help pay dental bills. Options to consider...
>
> Dental insurance. If you have access to subsidized group dental
> insurance through an employer or former employer, it likely is worth
> having. If not, the case for dental insurance is less compelling.
>
> Dental insurance typically features copayments as high as 50%...
> annual benefit caps in the low four figures... often long waiting
> periods before expensive procedures are covered... and usually only
> 80% coverage if your dentist is out of network. Dental insurance
> premiums for seniors are about $480 per year for individual plans.
> That�s a steep price for such limited coverage, but not necessarily an
> awful deal if you have reason to believe that you will require
> significant dental work within a few years, perhaps because your
> dentist has warned you that a major procedure cannot be put off too
> much longer.
>
> If you do decide to sign up for dental insurance, consider the
> policies offered through AARP. Rates on AARP dental policies often are
> a bit lower than what comparable individual dental coverage would cost
> elsewhere.
>
> More information: Visit www3.deltadentalins.com/aarp/.
>
> If you do have dental insurance, confirm that your dentist will accept
> it before agreeing to any procedure. Work with him/her to get the most
> out of the insurance if he does.
>
> Example: If the dental work you require is not an emergency and
> significantly exceeds your coverage�s annual benefits cap, ask your
> dentist if the work -- and the bill -- could be spread out over two or
> more plan years.
>
> Private health insurance. If you do not have dental insurance but have
> private health insurance in addition to Medicare, this health
> insurance could include some basic dental benefits. Read the plan
> literature or call the insurance company�s customer service department
> to find out.
>
> Medical flexible spending accounts (FSAs). FSAs can substantially trim
> the effective cost of dental care by allowing patients to pay for
> health-care bills -- including dental bills -- with pretax dollars.
> Unfortunately for retirees, FSAs are available only to employees whose
> employers offer FSAs as part of their benefits packages.
>
> HAGGLING
>
> Dentists� bills often are negotiable -- but only if you discuss costs
> before having the dental work done. Ask if you can get a senior
> discount or a cash discount if you pay in cash. Either of these
> appeals could net you savings of 5% to 10%.
>
> Call other dentists� offices to ask their prices for the procedure. If
> you find a better rate, tell your dentist that you are on a tight
> budget and ask if he can match the lower price.
>
> Get a second opinion before agreeing to any major procedure. There�s a
> chance that your dentist could be recommending an expensive procedure
> that is not necessary. Have your dental files, including the most
> recent test results and X-rays, forwarded to the dentist who will
> provide this second opinion so that you do not have to pay to have
> these repeated. You will have to pay for the second opinion, but the
> cost of a simple office visit is so much lower than the cost of an
> elaborate dental procedure that it can be a smart investment if there
> is any chance that the original dentist was wrong.
>
> If you have a LIMITED INCOME
>
> You probably can get dental care even if your financial resources are
> very limited...
>
> Medicaid. Medicaid is available only to those with low incomes and
> limited assets. Eligibility rules and program benefits vary by state.
> In most states, Medicaid provides at least basic dental care for those
> living near or below the poverty line.
>
> To find out if you qualify, contact your state�s Medicaid Office.
> (Visit www.benefits.gov, select Medicaid/Medicare from the Benefits
> Quick Search menu, then choose your home state. Or call 800-333-4636
> for a contact phone number for your state�s Medicaid office.)
>
> Helpful: Nursing homes are legally required to arrange for dental care
> for residents who use Medicaid to pay for their stays. That typically
> means that they must either bring a dentist to the nursing home or
> transport the resident to a dentist�s office to receive care.
>
> Local and state dental associations. Many have programs that provide
> dental services for free or reduced rates to those in financial need.
> Services are provided by dentists who volunteer their time.
> Eligibility requirements vary.
>
> State and local dental associations can be found on the Web site of
> the American Dental Association (ADA) -- at www.ada.org, select
> "Dental Organizations" off the menu, then check both the "Constituent
> (State) Directory" and the "Component (Local) Directory" to find
> relevant associations. Or call the ADA at 312-440-2500 and ask for
> your state dental association�s phone number.
>
> Example: The Connecticut Dental Association sponsors an annual
> "Mission of Mercy" program that provides free cleanings, extractions
> and fillings on a first-come, first-served basis. Unlike most programs
> of this sort, Connecticut�s Mission of Mercy does not require proof of
> limited income. See the Connecticut State Dental Association�s Web
> site for more information (www.csda.com/ctmom/ctmom4.html).
>
> Public or nonprofit dental clinics. Available in many regions, these
> typically charge very low rates, perhaps linked to the patients�
> ability to pay. In some cases, treatment is free. Your area Agency on
> Aging should be able to direct you to any dental clinics in your
> region and might know of other local low-cost dental options for
> seniors. (Call the US Administration on Aging�s Eldercare Locator,
> 800-677-1116, or use the Locator on the Web at www.eldercare.gov to
> find your local Agency on Aging if you cannot locate it in your phone
> book.) Your local or state dental association also might know of area
> clinics.
>
> MONEY-SAVING OPTIONS
>
> If you are too well off to qualify for low-income dental programs,
> consider these options...
>
> Local dental colleges. Performed for perhaps half the usual cost, the
> work is done by dental students under the supervision of qualified
> instructors. The quality of the dental care tends to be good...
> however, a dental school might not provide a full range of dental
> services. The American Dental Education Association Web site can help
> you find dental schools in your region. (At www.adea.org, click "About
> ADEA" then "Who We Are," and "Predoctoral Dental Education Programs.")
> Typing "dental schools" and the name of your state into Google.com
> also can help you find any schools in your region.
>
> Retail dental centers. Usually located in shopping malls, they
> typically charge 10% to 20% less than
>
>
> Bottom Line/Retirement interviewed Jordan Braverman, MPH, former
> director of legislative and health policy analysis at Georgetown
> University�s Health Policy Center, Washington, DC. He is author of
The Henchman
"Rick" <rick0....@gmail.com.lessspam> wrote in message
news:hn16hq$2dg$5...@news.eternal-september.org...
> Ablang wrote:
>> Get Dental Care for Less Money
>>
>> Jordan Braverman, MPH
>>
>> D ental care is rarely covered by Medicare...
>
> Actually "never" - until it is "oral surgery" then it is covered.
> This is a terrible oversight and I WONDER why it
> is Not Part of the Health Care debate!
All those Americans who think we have such a wonderful health care system in
Canada take note: Dental care is not covered under here unless it's "oral
surgery" for a specific health related reason.