Paying For Dental Care When On Medicare

[Marita40]

Thanks for the reminder to get needed dental work done during this run-up before I retire. My dental plan at work is not great, but at least it is something. BTW, I need a root canal and just discovered that my medical insurance covers it (BCBS). So glad I asked as I have already paid the maximum OOP so far this year so it is "free."

 

[friar1610]

My wife and I recently joined the Federal Employees' Health Benefits (FEHB) dental plan that was offered to military retirees for the first time in 2019. It replaced the old Tricare Retiree Dental Plan which was done away with. It has covered the all of first of our semi- annual checks/ cleanings and a good percentage of my wife's crown replacement so far. We were able to keep our preferred dentist. Don't have the exact cost at my fingertips.

 

[aja8888]

My wife and I recently joined the Federal Employees' Health Benefits (FEHB) dental plan that was offered to military retirees for the first time in 2019. It replaced the old Tricare Retiree Dental Plan which was done away with. It has covered the all of first of our semi- annual checks/ cleanings and a good percentage of my wife's crown replacement so far. We were able to keep our preferred dentist. Don't have the exact cost at my fingertips.

I assume your options have nothing to do with Medicare which the OP is interested in, correct?

(or am I missing something?)

 

[W2R]

I'm surprised at this and sorry you had such an ordeal. I've had 5 implants so far, all with bone grafts. The procedures were done under light sedation (I remember nothing) and I never needed anything stronger than a single dose of OTC pain reliever after the anaesthetic wore off. The annoying part was being deferred from donating blood for 6 months because of the bone graft.

+1
I am surprised and sorry also that Clone had such an ordeal. In my case, one time I even had to ask my oral surgeon if he actually did a bone graft that time or not because I didn't notice. All he does is just open a little sterile vial with the liquid bone material (from cadavers, but irradiated for safety) in it, and brush that liquid on. I mean really, how hard can it be to withstand that? (not very, actually much easier than a walk in the park for me). Maybe I was lucky, but with me high as a kite on laughing gas, the bone graft is not even annoying and it only takes a few minutes. Even the $400 that he charges for the bone graft isn't much compared with the overall cost of an implant. When he finishes and the laughing gas has worn off, I pay for everything in full at the door and then drive myself home. Piece'o'cake.

My oral surgeon makes me take one hydrocodone before the Novacaine wears off, and although I comply I have never needed even that, much less any more than that.

I swear I have the best dentist and oral surgeon in the universe. They work together all the time, too, and communicate well with each other and with me.

 

[Dawg52]

Doing my 3rd implant in the last 4 years now. Ridiculous how much they charge.

 

[RetiredAt55.5]

If all you have is the cleanings/x-rays/checkup , the premiums probably exceed the savings so it depends.....................

In 2017, my wife had 2 unexpected root canals, and then 2 crowns. That stunk, since that was the year I downgraded our dental insurance to just cover routine checkups and cleanings.

I wish I had the proverbial crystal ball or a time machine.

 

[NYEXPAT]

I need 1 (age 66) and YW needs 5 (age 38) so together we are looking at $8400.00! I will meet with my attorney next week to see if a Divorce will be cheaper?

 

[W2R]

In 2017 I paid 33k for a permanent implanted denture. It’s called a 4 on 4. That was worth the money. I had a snap in denture with implants in 2018 that cost me 11k that failed and I am back to a top denture. I asked for half my money back thinking that was fair after a dentist told me that I didn’t have enough bone on top and the other dentist should have known that. He paid quickly. My insurance paid 3k so I didn’t lose that much money. I guess I win the dental prize.

Yes, sadly I think you won the "dental prize"!!! So glad to read that the permanent implanted denture was worth the money. You have been through more than enough dentistry for one person in one lifetime.

Doing my 3rd implant in the last 4 years now. Ridiculous how much they charge.

My last two implants (in 2017) did not include bone grafts and cost $3906 each, total, including the crown, medications, and everything but no bone graft. My first implant was in 2013 and only cost $3001, including a bone graft plus all the rest.

I think the increase in price might have been partially due to inflation, plus my oral surgeon is pretty young and perhaps he was trying harder to build his practice in 2013. But even the cost of my crowns were higher in 2017 so I really can't explain it. Oh well. Definitely worth many times the price to have beautiful, functional, tough-as-nails teeth that are stronger than my natural teeth ever were.

 

[stephenson]

We had Delta Dental for many years while with MegaCorp.

Asked at two dentists I had used - both staff and dentists said they preferred MetLife due to Delta Dental being difficult to reach and work with ... my spouse does the books and agreed whoheartedly.

We switched to MetLife and spouse has found communications with them FAR easier and faster.

Last year - delicious dinner with friends in the little town of Fiumicino next door to Rome airport on the way home ... great hand cut steak ... bone chip from the cutting! As I bit down, the bone chip aligned with a small filled cavity and split the tooth to the bone. My friends all grabbed their jaws as they heard the “crack!” sound. Dentist confirmed the crack after grinding the filling out, oral surgeon (way hard to get in to see) pulled, waited for a few months, then cut and filled with cadaver bone melange ... stitched up. Waiting four months for the implant - next month. Then four months prior to new tooth installation. PITA.

Costs in line with what others have reported. MetLife answers the phone, too!

 

[aja8888]

+1
I am surprised and sorry also that Clone had such an ordeal. In my case, one time I even had to ask my oral surgeon if he actually did a bone graft that time or not because I didn't notice. All he does is just open a little sterile vial with the liquid bone material (from cadavers, but irradiated for safety) in it, and brush that liquid on. I mean really, how hard can it be to withstand that? (not very, actually much easier than a walk in the park for me). Maybe I was lucky, but with me high as a kite on laughing gas, the bone graft is not even annoying and it only takes a few minutes. Even the $400 that he charges for the bone graft isn't much compared with the overall cost of an implant. When he finishes and the laughing gas has worn off, I pay for everything in full at the door and then drive myself home. Piece'o'cake.

My oral surgeon makes me take one hydrocodone before the Novacaine wears off, and although I comply I have never needed even that, much less any more than that.

I swear I have the best dentist and oral surgeon in the universe. They work together all the time, too, and communicate well with each other and with me.

Brush on? Was this on your upper jaw? To do mine, they have to do a "sinus lift" (cut into the area where the sinus is and lift (the sinus lining) it to place the bone material). Nothing simple with that and it's costly.

https://www.perio.org/consumer/sinus-augmentation

 

[W2R]

Brush on? Was this on your upper jaw? To do mine, they have to do a "sinus lift" (cut into the area where the sinus is and lift (the sinus lining) it to place the bone material). Nothing simple with that and it's costly.

I didn't need a sinus lift, because he felt like he had enough room without doing that. He warned me right from the start that he might have to do that, and I was a little nervous about that. The implant area looked awfully close to my sinus on the xray. But, he didn't have to do a sinus lift after all, in my case. He did do a bone graft to beef up the bone that was already there.

Yes, this was on both implants on my upper jaw; the ones on my lower jaw didn't require a bone graft.

 

[aja8888]

I didn't need a sinus lift, because he felt like he had enough room without doing that. I was a little nervous because it looked awfully close to my sinus on the xray, but he managed to do it without piercing the sinus. He did do a bone graft to beef up the bone that was already there.

Yes, this was on both implants on my upper jaw; the ones on my lower jaw didn't require a bone graft.

Cool!

I need the sinus lift and that isn't fun, and it doesn't always come out as planned. That's why I am hesitating.

 

[W2R]

Cool!

I need the sinus lift and that isn't fun, and it doesn't always come out as planned. That's why I am hesitating.

Yeah, I am a tall, big boned Scottish-American woman and I guess the big thick bones even extend to the bones in my mouth. Maybe? At least that is my hypothesis. My brothers are big boned too; both played football in high school and none of us ever broke an arm or a leg.

I guess it is possible that your surgeon might change his mind once he opens that area up and gets a look at what he is dealing with. I don't remember if my surgeon made that decision before starting the surgery, or during.

 

[CRLLS]

I am so grateful that I have been blessed with good teeth. I have never taken Dental Insurance, either while working or now on Medicare. DW had a root canal on a molar and a gum graft last year. Last year I had a chipped tooth. I just had him soften the edge. Beyond that, just an occasional cavity. Like has been said before, the dental plans that I have looked at in the past did not cover more than 50%, had a very low annual cap, and did not cover some major work. Maybe I should look into it again based on some replies. Then again, if something major is needed, it would be time to "Blow That Dough"

 

[beowulf]

I had a bone graft a few weeks ago after a tooth needed to be extracted. I made the mistake of asking exactly what bone graft was. Unless you knew this already, hang on to your hats - bone graft material for dental procedures comes from cadavers. Made me a bit queasy , but I went ahead with it. He said the bone graft material was completely sanitized and that there was no chance of getting any diseases from it. I was sorry I asked. The implant will be in a few months.

It was really expensive - about $2200 for just that part (post, implant, and next surgery will run another $3K) but since the dentist was in my dental plan, my cost was for the extraction and graft was about $500 and a lot of his bill was disallowed (he did get another $700 from the insurance company). Plan was carried over from my federal employment and I've had it forever. There's a good selection of plans with different prices and benefits. The one I have runs about $1,100 a year for the two of us. It's been a rare year where we did not come out ahead (as in the benefits were more than the insurance cost). I would not be without it at this point in my life. Our teeth seem to be more fragile than anything else.

As to dental costs, I figure we have subsidized several vacations, 2 kids through college and several new cars for our dentist.

 

[RobbieB]

No dental insurance either, I pay with HSA dough and the doc gives me a 10% senior discount.

 

[Dawg52]

I didn't need a sinus lift, because he felt like he had enough room without doing that. He warned me right from the start that he might have to do that, and I was a little nervous about that. The implant area looked awfully close to my sinus on the xray. But, he didn't have to do a sinus lift after all, in my case. He did do a bone graft to beef up the bone that was already there.

Yes, this was on both implants on my upper jaw; the ones on my lower jaw didn't require a bone graft.

My first 2 didn't need a sinus lift either, but this one is borderline. So will see. He did insert some kind of bone graft material that was no big deal to me. Did it at the time he pulled the tooth. The process of extracting the tooth was the most unpleasant part of the whole ordeal..... other than paying for it.

 

[aja8888]

No dental insurance either, I pay with HSA dough and the doc gives me a 10% senior discount.

Yeah, I got the 10% senior discount too. Last year (spread between 2017 and 2018), it was enough to cover our annual property tax.

 

[friar1610]

I assume your options have nothing to do with Medicare which the OP is interested in, correct?

(or am I missing something?)

Seems to me you are.

The title of the thread is Paying For Dental Care When On Medicare

I am on Medicare.

I pay premiums for the FEHB Dental Plan (and pay the dentist for things not covered by the plan).

Others have mentioned various plans they are on.

Or am I missing something?

 

[aja8888]

[/B]

Seems to me you are.

The title of the thread is Paying For Dental Care When On Medicare

I am on Medicare.

I pay premiums for the FEHB Dental Plan (and pay the dentist for things not covered by the plan).

Others have mentioned various plans they are on.

Or am I missing something?

I'm sorry if I could not read into your post.

It wasn't clear that you are on Medicare and it wasn't mentioned. Sounded like your retired gov/military dental coverage (FEHB) is what you were on.

 

[audreyh1]

I know that we've pretty much determined that dental insurance really isn't a good deal once no longer insured through w*rk.

I'm still a few years away from Medicare, so am currently paying all my dental care on my own but reimbursing myself each year through my HSA.

When medicare rolls along and no more HSA to lean on should I expect to pay for all dental and no reimbursement of any sort?

As I said, I'm still several years away, but reached a moment, as it is not uncommon for me to rack up about $3000 in dental care a year.

I guess your HSA is getting depleted too rapidly to build up savings for covering Dental expenses once you are on Medicare?

 

[Animorph]

I called Boomer Benefits about Medicare and they suggested two dental/vision plans. One for $30/month that pays a maximum of $1000/year and one for $45/month that pays $1500/year. That seems representative of the private insurance I've seen so far. Not a whole lot of benefit for just checkups, nor if you have to do anything really expensive.

 

[Just_Steve]

In 2017 I paid 33k for a permanent implanted denture. It’s called a 4 on 4. That was worth the money. I had a snap in denture with implants in 2018 that cost me 11k that failed and I am back to a top denture. I asked for half my money back thinking that was fair after a dentist told me that I didn’t have enough bone on top and the other dentist should have known that. He paid quickly. My insurance paid 3k so I didn’t lose that much money. I guess I win the dental prize.

These are my provisional fixed full upper and fixed full lower, been on a soft food diet since mid January permanent fixed upper and lower should be in my mouth in about 2 weeks. Then it will be steaks and pork chops until I'm sick lol.
All in $40k insurance paid a whopping $2500 my yearly cap.

 

[Telly]

I called Boomer Benefits about Medicare and they suggested two dental/vision plans. One for $30/month that pays a maximum of $1000/year and one for $45/month that pays $1500/year. That seems representative of the private insurance I've seen so far. Not a whole lot of benefit for just checkups, nor if you have to do anything really expensive.

I don't know if you got the PDF brochure for that Dental/Vision/Hearing plan, but it's baaaaad! I would be ashamed to attempt to sell something like that.

There is a $100 yearly deductible, OK. But just about everything is slow-rolled. First year 60% coverage, Second year 70%, Third year and thereafter, 80 %. Note I said "just about everything..." The other, like a crown or root canal, or anything more, is 0 % the first year!. In other words, you pay your first year of premiums to have 0 % coverage on all those items, but get the honor in your second year of premium payments to have 70% "coverage", and 80 % "coverage" thereafter (and remember that upfront you chose either a $1,000 or $1,500 maximum yearly benefit).

Vision coverage has the 60 70 80% for the most basic simple stuff. The "serious" stuff, like eyeglasses and contact lenses, have a waiting period of 6 months.

Hearing coverage once again has the 60 70 80% years routine, and a 12 month waiting period for new hearing aids and existing hearing aid repairs.

So, not only is the maximum payout peanuts, the other limitations are a killer. As Dave Barry used to say "I am not making this up!".

Okay, how many of these can I sell you folks here at E-R.org? What? None? You'll go naked without coverage

Thankfully, other than sending it to me, they didn't try to push it. If they had tried to push it, I would have thought a lot less of them.

 

[Stonewalker]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but most of the dental plans I've researched have a maximum amount they pay each year - which throws our numbers way off. The local dentist told my DW she needed four crowns and I needed two, as well as fillings for "ditching" along the gum line. We went to Costa Rica and the dentist there did two crowns for her and none for me.

I hesitate to do this, since I don't wish to overstep, but here's a link to the dental saga in Costa Rica. There are four posts and this links to the first.

https://www.travelinggrouch.com/2019/01/dental-tourism-part-1_16.html