topic Re: Retirement Concerning Dental And Vision in Community Chat

Retirement Concerning Dental And Vision

cuddlesmama — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 12:37:44 GMT

I am planning to retire in 3 years but after retirement i will no longer have dental and vision care benefits so I will have to pay for this out of my own pocket. Are there dental and vision plans that will offer deals for retired people?

Re: Retirement Concerning Dental And Vision

10sluvr — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 13:40:06 GMT

will you be eligible for medicare? most insurance co. have dental and vision additions to reg. medical ins. It all gets pricey and you need to think about how much you spend on dental and vision per year vs. the premiums and deductibles.

you could always try insurance without those two things and see how it goes. Then you can pick up coverage, the following year if you think it would be better for you.

Re: Retirement Concerning Dental And Vision

Jessa9 — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 14:15:41 GMT

I have seen one advertised on TV but for the life of me can't remember the name. The AARP has dental plans for retirees too. Try to Google it and maybe that will help.

Re: Retirement Concerning Dental And Vision

151949 — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 14:27:50 GMT

When we moved to Florida my DH joined the Elks - they offer dental plans at group rates to their members. As for vision - our advantage plan offers a yearly eye checkup but you have to pay for your glasses out of pocket. Also , if you have a vision illness they pay for your care same as any other illness - for instance my DH has pressure in his eye and they pay for his eye drops and since medicare pays for cataract surgery they pay for that as well. when choosing a supplement/advantage plan one should look for a plan that offers at least some coverage on vision & dental. Esp dental as it quickly can get very expensive. And, yes, AARP does offer dental ins at a group rate.

Re: Retirement Concerning Dental And Vision

FrostyBabe — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 15:22:40 GMT

I retired very early (late 40's) and therefore private pay for my medical insurance as I didn't qualify for retiree medical benefits. I see an ophthalmologist rather than an optometrist for my eyes, so those visits are covered by insurance. Glasses aren't, but the place I get them gives a 30% discount for AARP membership. I researched private pay dental plans extensively and found that they provide very little in the way of benefits. Most had a maximum yearly benefit cap of $1500. I've been with my dentist since he started in practice and was able to negotiate a discount for paying cash. The upside is that all of those out of pocket expenses are deductible, depending on your tax situation. It works well for me, but may not be right for anyone else.

Re: Retirement Concerning Dental And Vision

151949 — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 15:31:27 GMT

The issue with not having dental insurance is - the insurance co negotiates a lower price and even if the procedure you are having done is not covered - you will get the lower price on it that has been negotiated by your ins co. When you are cash pay - you have to pay the full amount. Also , when you have insurance paying for a procedure they require the dentist send in proof - such as x rays - to prove you need that procedure before they will approve it. If you do not have insurance you just have to believe the dentist - and around here the dentists are pretty dishonest. Everyone you talk to down here has stories of being ripped off by a dentist.

Re: Retirement Concerning Dental And Vision

terrier3 — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 16:47:44 GMT

There are lots of dental and vision plans for people who don't get them through work.

My company has one that is about $18 a month and covers 2 cleanings, Xrays and up to $1,000 of other work a year.

My dentist also has a private insurance plan for his patients - it covers the same for $228 a year and is an unlimited 50% off all fillings, crowns, etc. You have to pay for the whole year at one time.

Most insurance companies that offer Medicare Advantage, medi-gap plans, etc. also offer stand alone dental and or vision.

Re: Retirement Concerning Dental And Vision

Krimpette — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 17:02:43 GMT

I have a stand-alone dental plan because over the years, I've had several implants, etc. Right now, things seem stable (thankfully), so I just about break even between my reimbursements and my premiums. Since I never know when I'll need something major done, I continue with the insurance. I don't have vision insurance. Medicare covers my annual exam, but anything beyond that (including refractions and glasses) I pay out of pocket.

Re: Retirement Concerning Dental And Vision

qvcaddition — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 17:31:12 GMT

I have Kaiser HMO, but do not care for the dental or vision, so I pay out of pocket. Last year because of you know who care program , can,t say name on post, I was able to get vision from VSP for a very low monthly premium. Going to dentist this AM to the tune of 1320.00, but have CARE CREDIT. A medical CC where you pay monthly for a certain length of time with no interest. It helps me keep my excellent Dentist, and not take the amount out of savings. It also works a some vets offices for your pet.

Re: Retirement Concerning Dental And Vision

LilacTree — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 17:35:39 GMT

I belong to a discount dental plan that costs me $75 per year. I just had the whole top of my mouth redone with new bridges for 50% to 75% discount from the dentist's normal fees. It has to be a dentist who also belongs to this plan. I found mine listed under www.1dental.com/provider and I chose the Careington 500 dental plan. Some plans also include vision. They are not insurance companies. They do not pay the dentist. The dentist charges you the discounted rate and you pay him/her. Also no limit as to how much work you need done, no matter the fee. Most insurance companies limit one to about $1,000 to $1,500 a year that they will pay.

Also the site gives you the ability to enter your zip code and they will provide you with a list of dentists in your area who belong to the plan. You may be surprised that your very own dentist is on this list, but just does not disclose it unless you ask.

No scam, all legit, unbelievable savings, and excellent work.

Re: Retirement Concerning Dental And Vision

dobiesrule — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 18:05:05 GMT

Ford, when you posted this info the first time, I looked into it. I needed a new dentist as I was not happy with the one I had, and lucky for me, the one I was thinking about going to was on the list. So glad you told us about this.

Re: Retirement Concerning Dental And Vision

cuddlesmama — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 18:26:06 GMT

Thank you so much ladies. You have given me a lot of options. Much appreciated!!

Re: Retirement Concerning Dental And Vision

LilacTree — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 18:35:37 GMT

On 1/26/2015 dobiesrule said: Ford, when you posted this info the first time, I looked into it. I needed a new dentist as I was not happy with the one I had, and lucky for me, the one I was thinking about going to was on the list. So glad you told us about this.

Oh, I'm so glad that at least one person took my advice. No one seemed to take it seriously on that thread, so I gave up on it. I hope you are happy with the work done and the fees you saved.

This is real, folks, this exists.

Re: Retirement Concerning Dental And Vision

lulu2 — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 18:39:40 GMT

I am a retired teacher. I was able to join an Aetna group that covers $1500. (when I was teaching, our policy covered only $1000) Unfortunately $1500 doesn't go far, here it's basically a crown.

There are a lot of (large) dental groups springing up all over the place. Many have signs advertising family plans. We were discussing it at the hairdresser and it seems, this is what many families are now choosing as opposed to insurance.

My husband and I are both in the process of having dental implants. (in his case 3) They are expensive and our insurance pays for the extraction only. I checked the discount plans and there are no private practices (only large clinic type practices) in our area. At this point in our lives we've established long time relationships with out dentist, periodontist and oral surgeon.

As for eye care, our medical insurance covers an annual exam and any eye related medical problems. Our policies have never paid for eyeglasses.

Re: Retirement Concerning Dental And Vision

ivey — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 19:01:53 GMT

A little off topic--but I don't have dental insurance. I could have bought it through a professional association, but it didn't cover all that much so I took my chances and have had to pay out of pocket.

My dentist of 20+ years retired and I cannot stand the dentist who took his place. (He's just been out of school maybe 2 years.) He just creeps me out--but the "crowning" blow was that he said I needed an implant on a tooth that has been troublesome for years. That tooth has had 2 apicocetomies, 2 root canals, and 2 crowns. I know--just pull the dang thing.

Well, I disagreed about the implant and went to the oral surgeon who had done the extensive work before. He xrayed 3d, etc. and said there was absolutely nothing that he thought would require an implant!

I'm looking for a new dentist. His office finds something every time I go in to run the bill up a couple of hundred dollars. I think retirees have to be vigilant to keep from being ripped off. When we retired, we still have our wits about us.

Re: Retirement Concerning Dental And Vision

151949 — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 19:36:39 GMT

On 1/26/2015 ivey said:
A little off topic--but I don't have dental insurance. I could have bought it through a professional association, but it didn't cover all that much so I took my chances and have had to pay out of pocket.

My dentist of 20+ years retired and I cannot stand the dentist who took his place. (He's just been out of school maybe 2 years.) He just creeps me out--but the "crowning" blow was that he said I needed an implant on a tooth that has been troublesome for years. That tooth has had 2 apicocetomies, 2 root canals, and 2 crowns. I know--just pull the dang thing.

Well, I disagreed about the implant and went to the oral surgeon who had done the extensive work before. He xrayed 3d, etc. and said there was absolutely nothing that he thought would require an implant!

I'm looking for a new dentist. His office finds something every time I go in to run the bill up a couple of hundred dollars. I think retirees have to be vigilant to keep from being ripped off. When we retired, we still have our wits about us.

there is no doubt in my mind that these days dentists are the biggest rip off artists around. When you find a good one you can trust you keep them until one of you dies.

Re: Retirement Concerning Dental And Vision

RedTop — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 19:41:01 GMT

When I retired 2 years ago, I opted for COBRA coverage of my dental and vision for 18 months. At the end of that time, I was given the option to continue my employer coverage at a higher rate, but chose not to, because of the fact my employer had changed providers for both, within a month of my retirement. I was not notified of the provider change until the new company sent a letter saying I was no longer covered. Because it was my former employers fault, I was reinstated, but wanted to get away from that connection and make my own arrangements. I dropped my vision coverage, because my issue right now is growing cataracts, which is covered by my medical insurance. I also dropped my employer dental coverage and purchased coverage thru Delta Dental, for less than $30 a month.