Dental ... WTF happened in between '10 and '11?

[halik]

So as per usual, my dental insurance went up some 17% year over year. Looks like a high percentage, but since the base is small $78->$91/year I thought no big deal.

Anyway I had an appointment to have my other 4 molars sealed today (had the first 4 done last year) and I was informed that preventative care now (cleaning, sealing etc.) has a $200 deductible(!). It went from being free in 2010 to having to pay $200 before anything gets done AND my rent went up 17%.

Still trying to figure out what I'm actually paying for $91 bucks a year for now, I can squeeze in cleaning and sealing for less than that...

 

[Numenorean]

$200 is less than $91???

Or do you mean you pay $91 a month? Which is ridiculous for dental though.

So how can you get cleaning and sealing for less than $91?

And if the sealing is less than $91 then how can you be liable for a $200 deductible? You would just pay for the service unless it was more than the deductible I would think.

Your story doesn't make sense.

 

[OutHouse]

$200 is less than $91???

Or do you mean you pay $91 a month? Which is ridiculous for dental though.

So how can you get cleaning and sealing for less than $91?

And if the sealing is less than $91 then how can you be liable for a $200 deductible? You would just pay for the service unless it was more than the deductible I would think.

Your story doesn't make sense.

I pay $10.37 per paycheck ($248.88 per year) for my dental coverage.

 

[techs]

I just keep my left up.

 

[actuarial]

$200 is less than $91???

Or do you mean you pay $91 a month? Which is ridiculous for dental though.

So how can you get cleaning and sealing for less than $91?

And if the sealing is less than $91 then how can you be liable for a $200 deductible? You would just pay for the service unless it was more than the deductible I would think.

Your story doesn't make sense.

He probably means the cleaning + sealing is less than $291. Thus premium + deductible > cost of procedures.

The deductible should be for combined services.

 

[sswingle]

$200 is less than $91???

Or do you mean you pay $91 a month? Which is ridiculous for dental though.

So how can you get cleaning and sealing for less than $91?

And if the sealing is less than $91 then how can you be liable for a $200 deductible? You would just pay for the service unless it was more than the deductible I would think.

Your story doesn't make sense.

Your reading comprehension must suck horribly.

He pays $91 a year for insurance. Then when going to get a cleaning needs to pay up to $200 on top of the $91 before they cover anything. I think my dentist charges around $80 a visit, and I go twice a year so if his charges what mine does, his insurance doesn't cover anything since he never hits the deductible.

Or to make it easier for you, he pays $91 a year for insurance and still needs to pay the full amount for a cleaning.

Personally I don't use the dental insurance since it covers so little for such a relatively high premium.

 

[Gooberlx2]

You sure you elected the same coverage/plan as the year before during open enrollment? Our assistant didn't pay attention to that and selected the PPO plan instead of the DMO plan by accident. It drastically changed her out-of-pocket costs in terms of deductibles, etc...

Anyway, that definitely sucks otherwise. What are your costs/coverage after the deductible, for what procedures, and to what extent? It could be your plan is now meant to cover considerable dental work, like crowns, root canals, etc...as opposed to the twice-yearly cleaning. (which is stupid, I agree)

 

[Scotteq]

(1) More Money

(2) Less Coverage


We are questioning this... Why? :\

 

[alkemyst]

ObamaCare. The Physical Therapist I go to was talking about this last week. He is getting paid differently now and has had to adjust what he can and cannot do on certain plans.

A lot of the old folks have had their long term treatments drastically changed this year and are not responding as well.

 

[zokudu]

ObamaCare. The Physical Therapist I go to was talking about this last week. He is getting paid differently now and has had to adjust what he can and cannot do on certain plans.

A lot of the old folks have had their long term treatments drastically changed this year and are not responding as well.

Both of my parents doctors started charging I believe it was $2000 a year to stay with their practice. I forget the term they called the fee. They said it was because of ObamaCare. SO now if they wanted to stay at that doctor they would have to pay their health insurance, their deductible, and this $2000 fee. Needless to say they switched doctors but I heard of several other people in the same predicament.

 

[TraumaRN]

My dental jumped this year from about $170 a year for me and my wife to $240 a year for me and the wife, BUT my plan actually got better in that I don't have a $20 deductible, however given the rate hike it's basically a wash.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Both of my parents doctors started charging I believe it was $2000 a year to stay with their practice. I forget the term they called the fee. They said it was because of ObamaCare. SO now if they wanted to stay at that doctor they would have to pay their health insurance, their deductible, and this $2000 fee. Needless to say they switched doctors but I heard of several other people in the same predicament.

I have definitely not heard of this. I can't fathom that would be something their cooperating insurance providers would ever allow. I require links.

 

[TraumaRN]

I have definitely not heard of this. I can't fathom that would be something their cooperating insurance providers would ever allow. I require links.

Yeah ditto for me, that sounds really fishy. I doubt a major insurance carrier, let alone Medicare would allow that.

 

[mcmilljb]

I have definitely not heard of this. I can't fathom that would be something their cooperating insurance providers would ever allow. I require links.

Would you believe it if I said my grandmother had the same issue?

 

[Joemonkey]

I don't understand why dental and vision is separate anyway. Were they separated out due to industry lobbing? Why aren't other specialists in on this? Oh I need to go to the podiatrist today, hope I didn't opt-out of foot insurance during open enrollment!

 

[Gooberlx2]

Would you believe it if I said my grandmother had the same issue?

No. If I don't believe the other poster right off, why would I believe your grandmother? That doesn't mean I'm not willing to believe it, however.

If this is becoming a systemic issue in the industry, there would (or damn well should) be some news coverage or op-ed about it. Maybe I just haven't seen it. (edit: to be fair, it's not something I've been keeping an eye out for or anything)

I have heard and read about some practices (including locally) charging fees to reduce (cull) the number of patients they treat, which I think is a deplorable thing to do.

 

[bfdd]

Mine went up slightly as well, but the changes to the tax code that lowered the amount taken from me offset the raises in health care costs.

 

[nanette1985]

No. If I don't believe the other poster right off, why would I believe your grandmother? That doesn't mean I'm not willing to believe it, however.

If this is becoming a systemic issue in the industry, there would (or damn well should) be some news coverage or op-ed about it. Maybe I just haven't seen it. (edit: to be fair, it's not something I've been keeping an eye out for or anything)

I have heard and read about some practices (including locally) charging fees to reduce (cull) the number of patients they treat, which I think is a deplorable thing to do.

Didn't take long to find something on Google. http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2010/04/medicare-cuts-forcing-doctors-charge-annual-fee.html

It's really hitting older people. Do you have any older family members?

 

[alkemyst]

Both of my parents doctors started charging I believe it was $2000 a year to stay with their practice. I forget the term they called the fee. They said it was because of ObamaCare. SO now if they wanted to stay at that doctor they would have to pay their health insurance, their deductible, and this $2000 fee. Needless to say they switched doctors but I heard of several other people in the same predicament.

There are doctors here totally going off insurance.

People laugh about death panels, but even with private insurance there is a limit on what they will do for you and that varies on several key things: age, chances of reoccurance, chance of success, etc.

With a private carrier chances are the most you pay the more they are willing to give. It's simple economics. If you don't have the money to save your pet, it's a sad decision to have to make what to do.

If the government is behind this everyone can possibily be lumped as a 'common denominator', or perhaps they weigh your future tax income or some other vested interest.