Getting dental coverage added to Medicare faces pushback from some dentists

[Jilly_in_VA]

William Stork needs a tooth out. That's what the 71-year-old retired truck driver's dentist told him during a recent checkup.

That kind of extraction requires an oral surgeon, which could cost him around $1,000 because, like most seniors, Stork does not have dental insurance, and Medicare won't cover his dental bills. Between Social Security and his pension from the Teamsters union, Stork says, he is able to live comfortably in Cedar Hill, Mo., about 30 miles southwest of St. Louis.

But that $1,000 cost is significant enough that he has decided to wait until the tooth absolutely must come out.

Stork's predicament is at the heart of a long-simmering rift within the dental profession that has reemerged as a battle over how to add dental coverage to Medicare, the public insurance program for people 65 and older — if a benefit can pass at all.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/10/29/1050263559/biden-medicare-dental-coverage-congress

[I_UndergroundPanther]

1. Dentistry

Needs to be universal like healthcare.

The greedy dentists need to stfu.

[Goonch]

2. ;-{)🖖‍

[Irish_Dem]

3. A bad tooth can cause an abscess, which is potentially a serious situation if left untreated.

We don't like to see infections so close to the brain.

[hamsterjill]

4. A root canal that went bad

It’s rare, but it does happen. I have NEVER in my over sixty years felt such pain and seen my body react to infection as it did. It was horrible.

Dental care is health care and anyone who doesn’t understand that all of us need access to that care has never been in pain like I was.

It’s absurd that Medicare does not cover dental and I can’t believe there are Democrats who seem to think that’s okay. I expect better.

[Irish_Dem]

5. Yep. I had some serious dental problems and it was incredibly painful and affected my health.

It was quite expensive to remedy.
I cannot imagine what folks without resources do.

[Jilly_in_VA]

6. When I volunteered with RAM

I settled into working in the dental clinics as their nurse, which mostly involved dealing with patients whose blood sugar was too high or low (send them back to Medical or get them something to eat), blood pressure was too high (;et them rest for a few and retake it, or have them take their meds and come back in half an hour), felt dizzy after a procedure (rest them), etc. Once we had to do CPR on a dental assistant who "fell out" while working (turned out she had some kind of weird arrhythmia, but she was actually Life-Flighted to Roanoke that day). Sometimes I actually got called chairside for some reason. You got to see how much bad dental health affected general health. I always felt that dental ought to be part of Medicare. The ADA is acting just like the AMA did when Medicare was passed initially.

[global1]

7. I Just Spent $3500.00+ For A Failed Root Canal & Extraction ....

of 3 teeth (oral surgery), a biopsy & a number of x rays because all 3 of the dentists had to take their own - they didn't share. I'm not done yet as now I need to go back to my primary dentist and talk implants and bridges so I'll be able to eat more than soft foods. Can't wait to see what that's gonna cost me. I'm 73 and on Medicare. My dental plan only covers preventative care (i.e., the cost of check-ups).

The costs are exorbitant. I'm sure that's because people pay whatever it costs to be pain free. The dentists want their money up front or they won't work on you.

We do need Medicare to cover dental. However, I think the dentists feel their money spigot will be cut.

I don't think Medicare will put up with the high costs dentists are charging. No wonder they're balking.

[FakeNoose]

9. What a horrible experience!

I'm convinced that American dentists are all in on price collusion when it comes to implants. None of them will ever be the first one to quote a lower price for any implant, because then they all have to lower their prices to stay competitive. They'll never do that, and they'll never negotiate with an insurance company either. That's what we're up against.

Better to get great dental work done in another country and pay about one-third the price. American dentists COULD but WON'T lower their prices ever.

[BadgerKid]

10. Reform the insurance industry

Maybe not so much as collusion but dentists collectively recognizing a need to offset losses incurred as a result of accepting the fee schedules dictated by insurance companies. Sure, dentists can and do negotiate, but it’s not fair to place the entire burden on them, in my opinion.

[FakeNoose]

14. They can blame "Covid times" now, but they've been doing this for at least 20 years

Probably longer for all I know. The costs associated with dental implants have come down substantially in the last 20 years. However they're still quoting the same prices as before.

Yes of course - reforming the insurance industry would be the answer. They'll never do it voluntarily though.

[leftstreet]

8. Thin end of the wedge for means-testing Medicare

...find themselves up against an unlikely adversary: the American Dental Association, which is backing an alternative plan that would give dental benefits only to low-income Medicare recipients.

This is the real canary in the coal mine story here

Fucking ADA

[Spider Jerusalem]

11. Fuck those greedy motherfuckers

I lived in the UK for ten years; during that time, I had NHS healthcare, which included dental. Cost to me for a root canal and crown was something like £42.

[Tree Lady]

12. I have to get a crown and a filling

Almost $2000, added to appt fee, cleaning and X-rays another 600 for the year, at least i get two more cleanings for that. There goes any savings and fun money while retired.

Once we left CA our retirement didn't have dental with it.

Hubby had same amount last year.

I was hoping it could get added but when I saw the two senators fighting everything I knew we will get nothing.

The problem in America is all the states with low population get same amount of senators so the minority gets screwed. I bet if the guys that started it had a clue about what would happen they never would have set it up that way, they would have made it more like congress which is based on population.

[shanti]

13. Looking into this

for my adult son right now. He has Medicare/Medicaid, and needs a root canal, so we're looking for another plan provider. I've narrowed it down to 3: Brand New Day, Wellness, and Anthem. They all cover dental (and hearing, vision), and I'm in California. They all seem pretty similar, so it's a hard choice?!