Author Topic: Obamacare Dental went from $13/month to $18/month for 2021. Drop it?  (Read 1698 times)

FIREin2018

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single person (age 50), no kids.

Delta Dental
$50 deductible
covers preventative and 50% on fillings.
no major dental like crowns and root canals.

$18.25 x 12 = $219 + $50 deductible = $269

preventative = cleanings + exam (2x/yr) and 1 set of bite wing xrays

so it looks like im self paying for the cleanings if i go 2x/yr.
(but if i didnt have dental insurance, i would probably just go 1x/yr for cleanings or none at all.)

pay the increased deductible incase i have cavities?
or drop it?

wageslave23

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Re: Obamacare Dental went from $13/month to $18/month for 2021. Drop it?
« Reply #1 on: November 17, 2020, 11:35:52 AM »
Drop it. Once a year is plenty.

Sibley

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Re: Obamacare Dental went from $13/month to $18/month for 2021. Drop it?
« Reply #2 on: November 17, 2020, 12:04:19 PM »
What's your overall dental health like? And what was your parent's like as they were in their 50s and beyond?

Sure, you could drop it, but poor dental health is going to cause problems. And you're old enough that problems are more expected. My dad's teeth are really bad, and part of it is he didn't go to the dentist regularly and didn't get problems caught while they were little for a long time. Penny wise, pound foolish is a real thing, so be careful.


Edit: I'm not saying to keep or drop, I'm saying you can't skip needed dental care. If dropping the insurance means you'll skip the dentist when you should be going in, then don't drop the insurance.
« Last Edit: November 17, 2020, 04:20:08 PM by Sibley »

parkerk

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Re: Obamacare Dental went from $13/month to $18/month for 2021. Drop it?
« Reply #3 on: November 17, 2020, 12:04:45 PM »
Agreed that once a year is plenty, so on those numbers alone it would make sense to just pay out of pocket.  What's your overall dental health like though?  Family history?  Typically the older you get the more trouble you'll have with your teeth, so while you may be fine for now that could change in the coming years.  I'd look a little further into the cost for things like fillings, root canals, crowns, bridges, etc. and see what kind of expenses you'd be looking at there.  Even if you still don't keep the insurance make sure you're factoring that into possible future healthcare costs. 

Edit - Sibley beat me to the post button and great minds think alike.  :)

jrhampt

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Re: Obamacare Dental went from $13/month to $18/month for 2021. Drop it?
« Reply #4 on: November 17, 2020, 12:41:12 PM »
I'd probably keep it.  It's too bad it doesn't cover crowns or root canals though because those can be $$$$$ and I've definitely used mine for that.  I've kept dental coverage because of the potential for large costs, but I've dropped vision because I don't really see the potential there (if anyone has a good argument for keeping it though I'd like to hear it). 

nirodha

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Re: Obamacare Dental went from $13/month to $18/month for 2021. Drop it?
« Reply #5 on: November 17, 2020, 03:16:58 PM »
Does your dentist have an annual membership? Mine does. It's something like $300 for:

Exams- 2 x year
Cleanings-3 x year
Fluoride Treatment- 2 x year/x-rays-unlimited**
Emergency Exams- unlimited
Cancer Screening- 2 x year

I think there's also a discount on other services for being a member. Once I'm off work insurance, that's my plan. Dental tends to have a low coverage max. It generally only makes sense if someone else is paying, or you won't take care of preventive care otherwise.

LaineyAZ

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Re: Obamacare Dental went from $13/month to $18/month for 2021. Drop it?
« Reply #6 on: November 18, 2020, 09:02:58 AM »
I agree that a) your age and b) current dental health, including genetics, may be the biggest factor. 
I'm in my 60s and a lot of work that was done in my 20s and 30s is now being redone because after several decades fillings wear out, crowns can break, etc. 

I had to make this same decision after I retired a few years ago.  I was advised that dental insurance wasn't needed because overall I hadn't had any major dental issues over the years.  I disregarded that and signed up for dental insurance.  Well - surprise! - in the last few years I had to have a crown, and just recently had to have a back molar removed.  (and TBD whether I get an implant to get that molar replaced or not).

My advice:  shop around a bit, but honestly $18/month is pretty reasonable to protect against even a single costly dental procedure.

GUNDERSON

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Re: Obamacare Dental went from $13/month to $18/month for 2021. Drop it?
« Reply #7 on: November 22, 2020, 09:36:46 PM »
I'm curious what other people are paying for dental coverage. This seems very low to me!

iluvzbeach

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Re: Obamacare Dental went from $13/month to $18/month for 2021. Drop it?
« Reply #8 on: November 22, 2020, 10:17:34 PM »
If you’re a Costco member, check out the plans they offer through Delta Dental. Slightly more than the $18/month you quoted (at least in my area), but much better coverage than you’ve been offered.

FIREin2018

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Re: Obamacare Dental went from $13/month to $18/month for 2021. Drop it?
« Reply #9 on: November 23, 2020, 07:28:29 AM »
If you’re a Costco member, check out the plans they offer through Delta Dental. Slightly more than the $18/month you quoted (at least in my area), but much better coverage than you’ve been offered.
Currently available in AZ, CA, FL, MD, NV, OR, PA, TX and WA

i dont live in one of those states :(

Metalcat

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Re: Obamacare Dental went from $13/month to $18/month for 2021. Drop it?
« Reply #10 on: November 27, 2020, 05:46:28 AM »
Drop it. Once a year is plenty.

Oh? You're a dentist and did a full exam on OP and that's your prescription?

I brush and floss every day and always have since I was a kid and have never had a cavity and I need 4 cleanings a year.

Genetics are a thing

nawhite

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Re: Obamacare Dental went from $13/month to $18/month for 2021. Drop it?
« Reply #11 on: November 29, 2020, 10:56:00 AM »
Check your max annual benefit. Every dental plan I've been offered would only cover $1000 per year of stuff and thus was basically useless as an insurance product. We pay a membership plan with a local dentist and it works out to cost less and actually gives me a discount if I need more than $1000 of work which insurance wouldn't.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!