Posted by TNinvestor on March 01, 2006 at 20:27:52:
Do you honestly think you’ll get more dental service than you pay for? Insurance companies don’t pay out more than they take in. Do you think that by paying $75 a month for insurance you’re going to get $2000 in services? If everybody thought that how long do you think the insurance company is going to be in business? Thsy arn’t going to take a loss on every insured and make it up in volumn. How many houses would you buy with a payment of 2k a month and rent out for $1200 a month? Can’t stay in business that way. The truth is there is no free lunch.
I’ve been going to Costa Rica for major dental work for the past 15 years, & have been very pleased to combine vacation w/top-notch work for less than 50% of stateside prices (e.g., implants $250). You can also get reasonable prices if you are near a dental school. I save on eye care by going to an optometry college, even though I now live 3.000 miles away from the school. (Yes, better care than local opthamologists & airfare is cheap or I use ff miles.) The best thing you can do to save the most $$$ on dental/medical is prevention. Taking care of one’s body literally pays off–
Stop thinking like an employee… - Posted by DaveD (WI)
Posted by DaveD (WI) on March 01, 2006 at 08:20:37:
… and start thinking like the entreprenur you should be. Obsessing about medical plans is so last century. Yeah, I hear there are 43MM uninsured. I am unimpressed. Most are young, single and think they will live forever. So they choose not to participate, and that is fine. It’s about return on investment, and many feel the return (safety) isn’t worth the expense (cuts down on the flavored martini’s one can purchase, you know).
It is truly an enlightening moment when one realizes there is no free lunch. How much we take it for granted when our employer “gives” us a cushy package. Never seeing of course we are paying for it all along with reduced salaries and wages.
Here is my advice: Forget trying to find the optimal package at a killer price. It ain’t out there. Instead, take matters into your own hands by going “off program.” You do that by engaging in a medical savings account coupled with a catastrophic illness package which is very affordable. Yeah, that means you are dipping into your own (savings) pocket when it comes to providing for you and your sweetie. Get used to it. It will get a lot worse when you hire on employees. You see, they will expect it.
Re: Looking for a good dental plan - Posted by Kristine-CA
Posted by Kristine-CA on March 01, 2006 at 24:24:35:
I suggest that you speak with the office manager at your dentist office
about “good dental plans.” They can tell you from their experience
which companies pay for what. Most likely they will tell you to save
your money on plan fees and pay cash.
They are called dental “plans” for a reason–they are not insurance.
They never take over when a serious issue arises. You just get to pay
the “plan” rate. Most really good dentists in my area don’t take any of
them. Some of them will work with Delta.
It’s not something to refuse if you have an employer paying for it. But,
speaking as a self-employed person who has paid mondo bucks to
dentists, endodontists, orthodontists and oral surgeons for a family of
four, I’m telling you that good dentists do not want to be part of a plan
that pays $235 for a surgery that they normally collect $1200 for.
That being said, the rates in your area maybe more inviting for dental
professionals there. Check with your dentist’s office manager or billing
dept. and they should be able to help. Kristine
Re: Looking for a good dental plan - Posted by Bob Smith
Posted by Bob Smith on March 01, 2006 at 14:16:02:
If the dentist “normally” charges $1200 for a surgery, and the plan price is $235, how can you possibly save money paying cash? That $1200 price is presumably their cash price, reflecting an upcharge to make up for the $235 surgeries they’re doing.
This probably depends on the plan a bit, but my current one pays out fairly well. I had a cleaning/checkup then a couple cavities filled/replaced. Total bill from the dentist was just over $1k … I was bit surprised myself. But the plan covered 100% of some stuff and 80% of the other stuff. I ended up paying $180. I’d be willing to bet that the dentist was happy with getting $1k for the work.
I have already gotten about 4 good deals so far this year but that doesn’t mean I should go wasting the money unnecessarily. Just because you have a million in the bank, this doesn’t mean you should go buy a $100 shirt when there’s an exact shirt selling for $20 right next door.
I hope you’re not the type of person who, the moment you make 10k from a deal, would go and use that 10k as downpayment for a top-of-the-line car!
Re: Looking for a good dental plan - Posted by Kristine-CA
Posted by Kristine-CA on March 01, 2006 at 16:26:27:
Bob: my point is that the dentist/surgeons won’t work with plans
when their reimbursements are so low. I live in sunny Santa Barbara
where health professionals can get their cash price as the community
can and will pay cash–and where many patients have quality insurance
that gives them full choice and decent reimbursements. I’m thinking
that in other areas people probably get a better choice of providers for
dental and health plans.
My reg. doctor stopped working with any groups or insurance plans
two years ago. I have friend who is urologist who is considering the
same deal.
It’s not that I can’t sign up for Delta or other plans–it’s that none of
the professionsals I want to go to are includeed in groups or HMOs,
and they don’t need to be. So, like many self-employed people I know
I buy an insurance policy with a high deductible for major medical
issues/hospitalization. And I use my savings on the policy to pay for
care I want.
Good Point. However, regardless of the cost, a nice bright shiny smile can go a long way when negotiating a deal. The lost opportunity costs can be much greater than the full retain cost of fix.
Oh BTW, there is a company called DentalSelect that has some good plans. I remember meeting the owner on a golf course one day.
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