Help with Dental plan while on Medicare

[edhopper]

Last edited Fri Sep 24, 2021, 10:41 AM - Edit history (1)

Looking for a good Medicare Dental plan and seeking advice/info from others here on Medicare. Have Cobra Dental that is about to expire. (end of year)
Briefly,
I am in my 60s, and live in NY. I have Medicare without a supplemental Ins. Always had dental issues and will probably need root canal / crowns or other such situations in the future.
Would like some recommendations on Ins. companies.

[OLDMDDEM]

1. Hmmm

From my experience, 74 years old, Medicare doesn't have a good dental policy. I did a study of what the dental coverage cost and what the dentist charges over time. You would be better off paying the dental bill yourself out of the money you save by not getting the insurance. Dental coverage is a ripoff.

If others can make suggestions, please do. Our coverage is thru CareFirst.

[edhopper]

5. That is my strategy for supplimental

my out of pocket medical is no where near the $3000+ a year the insurance costs.

[OLDMDDEM]

13. Thank you

I think it's a good strategy. Someone wrote there isn't a Medicare Dental. That was my error. Because I'm on Medicare, I stated my coverage was such. It isn't, My bad.

[Jirel]

2. Ask your dentists.

Random well-meaning strangers’ opinions online are worth the paper they’re written on. If you have always had dental issues, you’ve always had dentists. Their billing people can tell you who pays, and who doesn’t. They can tell you who requires all the red tape in the world, and who doesn’t. They can tell you why they’re on this insurer’s network, but not on that one’s.

[edhopper]

6. I did

they gave me three or four different companies they deal with. For them it is more about the companies that are easy to deal with than the coverage.

People here telling their good or bad experience with Ins is helpful.

[LiberalArkie]

3. I have Arkansas Blue Cross dental. They changed some things around last year(?) and it is great.

I had a lot of dental work done last year and my dentist(s) only charge what the insurance will pay. I did not know some dentists do that. It runs me $41 a month (including vision) here in Arkansas.

[Tomconroy]

4. I would research medicare advantage plans

Available in your area. They sometimes offer dental coverage

[edhopper]

7. Advantage in NY

is $300 plus a month. I do not see me spending over $3500 a year out of pocket. So why spend that on Insurance?
And with Advantage, I would still have out of pocket for dental.
The math doesn't add up.

[mahina]

14. Because if God forbid you need it

3k is gone in a blink. You’re assuming you won’t need it. I hope you are right.

[SCantiGOP]

8. My advice:

One, be very wary if Medicare Advantage programs; they are nothing but Medicare plans offered by private companies.
And two, your savings will likely come from your provider accepting the limits imposed by Medicare in costs.
I’ve had a MetLife policy for about 5 years, which costs me about $300 per year. At the end of every year I look at it, and i either break even or lose $50-100. I keep it because it will save me some money if I were to need some major work.

[edhopper]

9. I don't want Medicare Advantage

it doesn't add up for me ($3000+ a year in NY) I am looking for a stand alone Dental plan.
Good point about the cost limit.

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

10. You need to talk to your dentist, find out what they accept first, I have GEHA high option, self

Used with Medicare, I get two extra cleanings a year, $26 ea. at my dentist.

Whole program for the year is $41 a month, they did a lot of work on me, I need them, lol

I get Eyemed too $100 a year includes exam

[Liberal In Texas]

11. There is NO Medicare dental.

We had some private plan for awhile, but when push comes to shove they don't really cover much more than the premiums you pay out. They have caps on what they will pay annually. We dropped it and the dentist we go to has a "friends and family" plan where we get discounts on all dental needs including crowns, root canals, etc.

[edhopper]

12. Yeah

I meant Dental plan for those on medicare. I know it is private.

[Liberal In Texas]

15. Got ya. Glad to see you're staying away from the Advantage scam.

I'll just say again. We've tried and researched and private dental insurance is just not worth the money.

I sure hope we can get more dems in the congress to get Medicare to not only pay more in the way of percentage of claims but add dental and vision too.

[Chainfire]

19. It is likely that it goes the other way and a Republican led Congress will be asking,

"What can we take from you today?"

[Desert grandma]

16. My husband and I are on Medicare

We have two dental insurance plans. They are individual plans that we purchased. One is Metlife that is offered to Veterans and their families. It pays well for most things and has a $3500 maximum per year. The other is Spirit Dental. It uses the Ameritas dental providers, which is an excellent nationwide provider list. It also has a $3500 annual maximum and pays the other 50% for major procedures. Both cover implants. Spirit Dental goes by a calendar year, so if you were to enroll in say November or December of this year, you will be considered in year 2 of the policy in January of next year. It covers implants for teeth that are extracted while enrolled in the plan. It does not allow you to claim this if the tooth is missing before you enroll in the plan.

https://www.va.gov/health-care/about-va-health-benefits/dental-care/dental-insurance/
www.spiritdental.com

Good luck! As we age many of us find ourselves in exactly your position.We have had good luck with the two providers above, and our dentists are in network with both. Dentists will say they accept all dental plans but that is not the same as being IN NETWORK and contracted with them. Payment for procedures are then accepted by the contracted dentist as payment in full.

[Chainfire]

17. After a lot of research we abandoned dental insurance as being a bad deal.

Paying cash, the dentist should give you a bit of a break as it simplifies their paperwork. The government is willing to spend a fortune keep our knees working but don't give a damn about our teeth.

[edhopper]

20. Thanks

I will have to talk to my dentists and do the math.

[sarcasmo]

18. I use care credit for my Dental. Couldn't find a decent dental plan.

https://www.carecredit.com/?dtc=N353&Exact=care%20credit&sitecode=CCDTCSEMN353&gclid=CjwKCAjw7rWKBhAtEiwAJ3CWLLkKJGDKKDCil5W_jMC-Vb2P6Y4XgqKwx51zShYsu3WonkFJu_fqSRoCXoIQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

[2naSalit]

21. Several dentists in my end of the state...

Have a group Ins. plan that costs about $89./year, it is rather limited but keeps me from paying over $400./year for their cleaning and exam services.

Currently I am having extensive work, a crown replacement, a root canal and some fillings with anesthesia but at a place with a sliding scale fee system because it's university clinic. A couple great things are that I get excellent care and since I'm on SSDI, I get the work at 50% of the regular fees. The bad part is, I have to travel nearly 300 miles to get there and another 300 coming back. I have friends to stay with so beyond the dental fees there is gas and food costs but still far less than anyone in my area or state that I can afford. I live in Montana and travel to Idaho for this.

For cleaning and exams, where the insurance applies, I drive 45 miles one way.