That said, insurance-negotiated rates are always lower that what dentists will charge to “self-insured.” A cleaning can be $300 paid by insurance but $600 out of pocket (this is what was billed to us when the dentist forgot that my husband had insurance). So that $2,000 annual limit might cover significantly more services. One can try to negotiate a cash rate…
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Delete.
There are separate dental insurance plans out there, but when I spoke with our dentist office, the Delta Dental plan we had through work was much better coverage than the Delta Dental plan through AARP – even though you don’t see that on their basic information (it looks like the same information with those two plans). So we paid for 18 months COBRA on dental.
Then our dentist had a “Dental Savings Plan” where we each pay $325/year for adult with healthy gums - and it includes 2 preventive cleanings and exams per year - with 2 Fluoride treatments per year and 2 oral cancer screenings per year, unlimited X-rays as needed, including one full mouth x-ray as needed, 1 emergency exam per year if needed, and 15% of any other treatments, including cosmetic procedures.
Obviously if you like your dentist and they don’t have coverage available, you may be willing to pay out of pocket. I would talk to dentist’s insurance processor to find out more information about other options that they know of.
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We also have a plan through our dentist. The annual cost is what 2 cleanings cost, and it includes 2 cleanings, x rays & a 20% discount on dental work.
We had really good dental insurance through H’s employer when he was working. I had to have a difficult tooth extraction when I broke a molar, and the oral surgery cost was so much less than the costs I heard others quoted while waiting in the waiting area. I talked to the office staff, who told me that our negotiated rates were really good. I don’t believe that any of the Medicare dental coverage is that good. I know that my dad, who retired from the same company as H, found that it was more cost effective to self insure for dental. We are not yet Medicare age but are checking into plans now in anticipation of H’s next birthday.
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Our original dentist retired and sold the practice to this H/W team - W’s family is all dentist in our area. We have been with practice since moving here in 1983. They built a new office on redesigned space on property and moved into new space and the old space was torn down - and new space is terrific (helps that the lot was big enough and the old office was small, and utilized the corner parking space well). The discount on the plan is great if new crown or other dental work is needed - but all our mouth work has been good and we take care of our teeth.
I have Delta Dental through their individual plans and it is inexpensive (like $90 a month for my husband and I). Almost the identical plan that we had through my husband’s company. In NJ at least, there are no discounts for market dental plans.
I have a Delta Dental PPO plan. I believe it covers more than their other plans. Check carefully. We were at the oral surgeon this week, and the Delta Dental PPO was the only one they were in network for.
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All insurance is by state, so you have to check.
My mother had United health medicare, and I know she had dental for at least 2022, maybe 2021 too. She really liked it and I know it covered the cleanings and a few other things (extractions?) She had to switch to a new dentist when she got it and new dentist was a lot closer and one of the ‘fancy’ ones with a nice office.
For many years, my parents used a private medicare provider and paid a LOT for the coverage (my father thought he knew everything because he was ‘in the insurance businesses’ but he didn’t know anything about health insurance or medicare). When that company went out of business, they switched to United (Medicare Advantage), cut their premiums by about 80%, didn’t have to pay as many co-pays, and got lots of extra benefits like better prescription coverage, glasses, dental.
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I have noticed some of the Advantage plans have the coverage you describe.
When people become more elderly/frail - an Advantage plan that covers their geographic area can be very cost effective as you state.
DH and I are on a Medigap plan, and have different Medicare D plans for drugs – and just changed each of our drug plan for 2023 for less payments on our current medications.
Something just popped up on my CC feed but I don’t see a recent post by you.
Glad we have Medicare, but can see so much jockeying for this open enrollment period (and a lot of confusion). We keep a land line and I know a bunch of the calls we are receiving now from call centers are regarding Medicare plans – as soon as I hear the back ground noise I say “we are not interested” and hang up the phone. Prior to election, we would get polling phone calls and I just would say “I am not interested in participating” or “I can’t help you” and hang up.
United Health Care was squeezing our big local hospital, and first the hospital announced they did not have a contract with them for 2025, but evidently UHC came back to the table to negotiate a plan. ATT retirees and I am sure a lot of others are on UHC.
DH will be on AARP Medicare RX UnitedHealthcare for 2025, and I will be on Humana Basic RX Plan (PDP) for 2025.
As with many things, each insurance company may have a range of products - some better than others.
For the drug plan, these two hopefully meet our needs for 2025 (as long as our med list doesn’t change). But covers us well for most anticipated needs.
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According to my insurance broker (medicare) this happens all the time. My sister was freaking out this summer because United was in contract negotiations with ALL the major hospitals around here, but reached an agreement around labor day. Now the issue is Humana not contracting Common Spirit (which took over the SLC hospital). It isn’t a great percentage of the hospitals, but inconvenient for those used to using that (in central Denver) hospital and a few others.
I’m switching to United because of the pharmacy policy of capping tier III drugs at $47/mo whereas Aetna will charge the full 24% (so for a $1000 prescription is $240). Dental benefit also better.
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Is this an advantage plan or a supplement? I wasn’t aware that any supplements offer dental care? If there were ones that did, that would be great.
My husband has a lot of medical needs so we will stick with a supplement plan. It’s coming up this year!
My AARP UHC Medicare Advantage plan will no longer be offered next year, so I’m shopping for a new HMO-PPO plan that includes meds and only charges the Part B fee (taken out of my monthly social security direct deposit). This will be the fourth time I’m changing plans. I’m 76 and they’ve all been MA plans that served me pretty well except Humana which was a disaster with my long Covid health issues.
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It is MA. There are 2 United Health plans on MA available, and they cost the same to me ($0 monthly premium). One has dental ($2250/yr, saved me $2000 for a root canal this week by using a preferred provider) and the other has no dental but is $100 per day cheaper if you stay in the hospital.
I committed to MA when I was healthy and now can’t change because I couldn’t pass underwriting. Probably would have been cheaper for me this year to be on traditional (probably about $2000 total as opposed to $4000 deductible, but it is what it is, and I’m hoping next year is cheaper in copays and medications.
My friends on traditional pay a LOT for medications. One buy her inhalers in Mexico, and I’m not willing to do that! Another has prescriptions at different pharmacies to use discount cards. I like having everything in one place.
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Here too. I got a letter saying one of my doctors was no longer in network because they couldn’t reach an agreement. It was particularly not pertinent to my plan as there is no in or out of network. Anyone taking Medicare takes our plan. And the hospital group was still taking Medicare.
Got a nice letter from UHC this week telling me that they had reached an agreement, what NOT a surprise!
@twoinanddone is underwriting done in every state when you switch, even during open enrollment? I am getting confusing info.
No…this is state dependent. In my state, I can switch from MA to Medicare without underwriting.
Phew. Mine too apparently. One reason to stay in my state!
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I think there are 4 states that don’t have underwriting if you want to switch back to medicare with a supplement. I’m okay with MA, especially with dental an eye glasses (and hearing aids, but I don’t need those. Yet)
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We could probably pay less, but we are on what many consider ‘best’ coverage in our state as our supplement to Medicare, and DH and I both shop around each year for drug plan, Part D. With taking this supplement, we had rates that rise hardly at all, and then there is a slight bump up after 3 years (which we will see for 2026).
If we ever decide to live where the grandkids live, would need to investigate best coverage for there if we do not keep a home in current state. I expect us to be tied to current location due to DH’s activities, for about 10 years. I may still spend more time where grandkids are while DH ‘holds down the fort.’