Best Dental Insurance?

[LXEX55]

In September of 2020, my COBRA plan expires, so my wife and I will be hunting around for dental coverage. May I ask suggestions as to good comprehensive coverage that is frequently accepted? If important, I live in the state of Florida. Thanks very much for sharing.

 

[Senator]

If you are a Veteran, the VA has options.

https://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/vadip/

 

[Spock]

Do the math on the premiums paid vs. the max benefits received. Even when covered by employer dental ins, the $960 total annual premium (2 people) did not make sense on coverage that was capped at $500 per person. The only value has been discounting procedures to the U&P rates, but most dentists have a "cash price" for self-patients that gets close to that anyway.

 

[OldShooter]

Dental insurance for old folks is usually not a good deal, as @Spock points out.

My dental solution is to go to the local university dental school's clinic. In addition to being much cheaper than "retail" dentists, I get detailed quality control from the supervising professors and I know that any procedure that is recommended is actually needed and not just a way to pack the invoices. Those latter two points are worth more to me than the discounts. I would pay full price just to get them.

Try: https://ufhealth.org/ufspc-partnership-st-petersburg-dental-clinic

 

[bobandsherry]

Check out DentalPlans.com. Not insurance, but negotiated rates with dentist, my savings have more than paid for the premium.

 

[bolt]

Dental insurance for old folks is usually not a good deal, as @Spock points out.

My dental solution is to go to the local university dental school's clinic. In addition to being much cheaper than "retail" dentists, I get detailed quality control from the supervising professors and I know that any procedure that is recommended is actually needed and not just a way to pack the invoices. Those latter two points are worth more to me than the discounts. I would pay full price just to get them.

Try: https://ufhealth.org/ufspc-partnership-st-petersburg-dental-clinic

What OS said: I do the same.
Plus its cutting edge treatment, w/options.
Not what a practitioner learned 10/20/40yrs back.

 

[sengsational]

Check out DentalPlans.com. Not insurance, but negotiated rates with dentist, my savings have more than paid for the premium.

This is the direction I've worked through, but the best dentists often don't participate. Or maybe there's a great dentist that moved her practice and needs business, so joins, but once word of mouth takes off, she no longer has the need to participate. That last one happened to me and the price went up quite a bit. And so it was pay up or find another dentist.

 

[Dash man]

We use Delta Dental. That’s who we had during our working years and we just continued it. They waived the six month pre existing period when we called them. Don’t get it through AARP, since it’s significantly more than going direct.

 

[VanWinkle]

I kept my Delta Dental plan from my company retirement. 26.40 per month for me and I break even on 2 cleanings and x-rays. Anything over that- fillings, caps is gravy. I just had a root canal and crown, they paid 1000.00 of it, I paid about 500.00.

 

[bobandsherry]

This is the direction I've worked through, but the best dentists often don't participate. Or maybe there's a great dentist that moved her practice and needs business, so joins, but once word of mouth takes off, she no longer has the need to participate. That last one happened to me and the price went up quite a bit. And so it was pay up or find another dentist.

May depend on competition in the area. Lots in my area, so even some of the "better" dentists, at least those who are highly rated practices based on various reviews, take it. I found my dentist first, then discovered the DentalPlans site and sure enough they were included. As always, nothing is good fit for everyone, so just need to do homework - but better to have recommendations to start from.

 

[bobandsherry]

We use Delta Dental. That’s who we had during our working years and we just continued it. They waived the six month pre existing period when we called them. Don’t get it through AARP, since it’s significantly more than going direct.

I had looked at this for myself a while ago. I don't know what premium you pay, but see for me it was $43/mo for 2 of us for "Basic Plan". That's $516 in premiums even before you have any service. I see they cover preventative, but only 50% for other covered items. It has $50 deductible and then $1,000 annual max/pp. So basically paying $500 for $2,000 max coverage plus deductible. And not sure if there are negotiated rates or subject to whatever dentist charges.

I ended up getting a dental plan (Cigna is the provider), $160 for two of us for the year and no max and negotiated rates. Our preventative exams cost us $45. So the preventative exams (with xray) and premium is $340. Our dentist was participant, so it worked for us.

 

[jazz4cash]

Do you have (a) good dentist(s)? I would ask my dentist, or more specifically the individual that files claims for recommendations. That has worked well for us. Someone here could suggest plans that are not accepted by your dentist.

 

[Bamaman]

Most of the real dental insurance plans are about the same. $33 each per month--$150 deductible per year and $1500 max pay out. Pay 50% on crowns and extractions.

It's not really that good of insurance, but all we've got. We went through BCBS for coverage.

 

[ziggy29]

In reality, dental insurance is the *opposite* of what pure insurance should be. Insurance usually covers catastrophic loss after some deductible is paid. For the most part, aside from a small deductible (sometimes) dental pays smaller costs up front, but has a cap over which you pay everything.

That said, if you can get it subsidized it might be worth it (especially if you can pay for it pre-tax), but it's not usually a good deal if you pay it all with no tax break. There may be a few situations where it works out otherwise, but for most folks, especially if you have an HSA, it might be better to go without insurance and pay it yourself. Quite a few dentists will give cash discounts if you ask.

 

[GTFan]

Do you have (a) good dentist(s)? I would ask my dentist, or more specifically the individual that files claims for recommendations. That has worked well for us. Someone here could suggest plans that are not accepted by your dentist.

Yep, this is what we did and the front desk staff recommended Aetna Dental Access for us. Easily pays for the $99/yr. cost with around 30% savings on everything. We went through Careington to get this 4 years ago and the cost for a new plan has gone up since then.

Sadly most individual dental insurance is not worth the cost given the low max payouts vs. premiums. Also OP, there have been many threads about this so always wise to search first.

 

[Z3Dreamer]

In reality, dental insurance is the *opposite* of what pure insurance should be. Insurance usually covers catastrophic loss after some deductible is paid. For the most part, aside from a small deductible (sometimes) dental pays smaller costs up front, but has a cap over which you pay everything.

ziggy nailed it. IMHO dental insurance does not make financial sense.

 

[Midpack]

In reality, dental insurance is the *opposite* of what pure insurance should be. Insurance usually covers catastrophic loss after some deductible is paid. For the most part, aside from a small deductible (sometimes) dental pays smaller costs up front, but has a cap over which you pay everything.

ziggy nailed it. IMHO dental insurance does not make financial sense.

I started Manhattan Life Dental-Vision-Hearing in May thru Boomer Benefits, but I am having my doubts that it’s worth the premiums. $37/mo capped at $1000 and 60% coverage first year, 70% second year, 80% third year and after. I filed one claim for a routine checkup and they paid nothing. I have another appointment this month. I understood payouts but I assumed they’d negotiate better rates for me and provide value that way - it appears that may not be true in which case we’ll probably drop MHL and self insure.

 

[Hermit]

My Humana medical insurance includes negotiated rates for dental at participating dentists. No cost to me. The rates are about the same as participating in my dentist's self insurance program. I think it is around 1/3 off retail.

 

[easysurfer]

I've gone the self-insure route for both my dental and vision.

To ease the pain, I then use my HSA to reimburse myself in January for qualified expenses during the prior year.

 

[SumDay]

Our dentist has a 'plan'. I think it's $129 a year for two of us. It gives us greatly reduced twice a year cleanings and 40% off any procedures. Dental insurance is the ONLY thing I miss about w*rking. Retiree Dental through my former employer just wasn't worth it.

 

[Sojourner]

I've gone the self-insure route for both my dental and vision.

To ease the pain, I then use my HSA to reimburse myself in January for qualified expenses during the prior year.

+1

Exactly my strategy for the past few years. My dentist has been quite willing to work with me on pricing, given my lack of insurance, so out of pocket costs have been very reasonable. Couple this with using HSA funds to pay for procedures, and I think dental insurance doesn't make much financial sense for me.