This is what you call dental insurance?

[Moneypenny]

It's open enrollment at my work so I'm looking into getting additional dental coverage for DD's anticipated orthodontic needs. There are two options:

Option 1: $41/month, 12 month waiting period, $1,000 lifetime limit, they cover 50%
So, I pay $492 for the year I have to wait. Then I pay $492 for each year after that. Assuming she needs at least two years worth of work, I'm in for a total of $1476 in premiums to receive $1,000 of benefit.

Option 2: $60/month, 3 year waiting period, $1,200 lifetime limit, they cover 50%
I will pay $2,160 in premiums just in the waiting period alone.

WTH? In both cases I end up paying more in premiums than I will get in coverage!!!! I guess it's just better to pay for it all OOP. Sheesh.

[JBaxter]

A lot of Ortho offices will do 24 month payment plans w/ no interest. Yeah Im with you those ortho plans suck.

[AshleyAnn]

That is crazy! Most insurances I have seen have less than 90 days of a waiting period. Three years? With the way current job markets are I wouldn't bet money I would be with the same company for three years. And a $1200 limit? I spent $1600 on my teeth last year alone and I need more work done next year I expect to cost $2000.

[Moneypenny]

That is crazy! Most insurances I have seen have less than 90 days of a waiting period. Three years? With the way current job markets are I wouldn't bet money I would be with the same company for three years. And a $1200 limit? I spent $1600 on my teeth last year alone and I need more work done next year I expect to cost $2000.


After 90 days they cover "basic services" like fillings, etc. Orthodontia, though, is much longer. My regular insurance already covers basic services, though, so that doesn't do me any good!

[egoldber]

This is why we opted out of dental insurance. It didn't make any sense. $50 a month with a 2 year waiting period for ortho and $2K ortho lifetime max. Um, no thanks.

We paid for DD's ortho out of pocket and used FSA money to get reimbursed.

[Moneypenny]

This is why we opted out of dental insurance. It didn't make any sense. $50 a month with a 2 year waiting period for ortho and $2K ortho lifetime max. Um, no thanks.

We paid for DD's ortho out of pocket and used FSA money to get reimbursed.

I think this is what we will do. Luckily our basic coverage is more than fine for the limited needs that we have had so far. It's just DD's orthodontia needs looming on the horizon that had me worried. DH and I sat down to look over the extra dental stuff last night and couldn't believe that it would actually cost us more to have it. Ridiculous!

[Moneypenny]

A lot of Ortho offices will do 24 month payment plans w/ no interest. Yeah Im with you those ortho plans suck.

When the time comes, I'll definitely check on that. So far everything we've needed to have done has been covered completely or has been just a small amount (I think I paid $50 last year to have two old silver fillings replaced with white stuff - our basic insurance covered everything except the upcharge for the white stuff (amalgam??).) I don't even know how much palate expanders and what not go for these days and I'm not sure I want to find out, lol!