Among Friends

[Havarti]

@Kachina624

Aflac actually does have a supplemental dental plan - go to their site and you will see for yourself.  And they pay directly to you, not the provider. 

[MsLomo]

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@ALRATIBA wrote:

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@MsLomo wrote:

I am a senior who is covered by Medicare (traditional plus supplement). There are probably options out there for dental insurance, but the professional advice I got when transitioning to Medicare is that dental insurance is a "wash" (after the premiums, the deductible, and the coverage limits). I no longer am covered by any dental plan.

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@MsLomo     

When I retired and lost dental insurance, the girl in the dentist's office recommended that I check out Dental Save.  It's not insurance ... a dental saving plan.  

For senior citizen ... low annual premium and the services are discounted.  I figure that with two cleanings, x-rays a year and other stuff  (I had quite a bit of bonding this year)  ... I'm saving quite a bit over and above the premium cost with just the cleanings and x-rays!   Check it out and see if it's available in your area / your dentist.  

You can see fee comparison on their website.  

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@ALRATIBA, thank you!

[bonnielu]

I added more coverage to my dental insurance.... and I found out even with the best of plans dental insurance finds a way to only play a meager percentage even if you add more.  I was covered by the my state for 1,000.  I was given the option of makine 2,000 and the difference when I finally got the bill for my service was minimal.  

In other words my dental implants... what I ended up paying for them I could have bought a car.  The added on part did little to help me, perhaps a hundred or so more.

[Moonchilde]

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@bonnielu wrote:

I added more coverage to my dental insurance.... and I found out even with the best of plans dental insurance finds a way to only play a meager percentage even if you add more.  I was covered by the my state for 1,000.  I was given the option of makine 2,000 and the difference when I finally got the bill for my service was minimal.  

In other words my dental implants... what I ended up paying for them I could have bought a car.  The added on part did little to help me, perhaps a hundred or so more.

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No dental insurance that I know of (except perhaps the AFLAC) covers implants. People who want implants are on their own for the implant-related charges. OTHER things (bridge or denture following implants) will be covered at a percentage, but not the implant prep work and the implant.

[Kachina624]

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@NYC Susan wrote:

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@Kachina624 wrote:

@Havarti  Aflac is disability insurance with coverage for accidents or illnesses.  Has nothing to do with dental.

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Aflac offers several different types of insurance, including dental.

@NYC Susan  @Havarti  You are correct and I was wrong.  It wasn't listed where I checked.  It seems as though it's offered through one's employer, however.

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[KathyPet]

IT amazes me how dental insurance has failed to keep pace with the ever increasing cost of dental treatments.

[Havarti]

@Kachina624

Aflac is available both individually and through an employer.

I don't want to put a link in because the entire thread may be deleted, so here is a copy & paste of FAQ:

	Aflac – Frequently Asked Questions By Insurance Suffolk Brokerage What is Aflac? Aflac is insurance for daily living. It helps covered persons by paying them cash benefits, unless assigned, to help with out-of-pocket expenses that arise from covered accidents or illnesses. In the event of a covered loss, cash is paid to covered persons regardless of any other insurance they may have. How can I apply for Aflac insurance? Aflac insurance policies can be obtained on an individual basis or made available by your employer. However, it is always better to apply if it is made available by your employer to take advantage of payroll rates and possible pre-tax, payroll deductions. How many employees are required for payroll accounts? Aflac requires that at least three employees apply for at least one policy type to be considered a payroll account. How much does Aflac cost our company? There are no direct costs to your company. You may even have possible tax savings when employees pay their premiums with pre-tax payroll deductions. How much do Aflac policies cost for employees? Prices vary and may be based on plan type, age of applicant, and level of coverage. How much administration is required for employers who enroll in Aflac services? Virtually none. Aflac agents are sent to the employer facility for all enrollments, and there is a service center that handles all claims or billing issues. The only administration required by the employer is processing a monthly billing reconciliation. This can also be done online for even more administrative ease. Our company uses a third-party payroll company. Does it cost us more money to have them process Aflac payroll deductions? No. The fees you pay third-party companies to process payroll typically include Aflac premium deductions. Do we need to wait for our group health insurance open enrollment to apply for Aflac policies and services? No. Aflac operates on its own cafeteria plan, and is completely independent of your major medical health insurance. What happens if an employee covered by Aflac leaves the company? Simple … you indicate the employee has terminated employment on the monthly billing reconciliation. The covered person now has the choice to pay premiums directly or to jump onto the new employer’s Aflac payroll group to take advantage of pre-tax savings. All Aflac policies are portable. Aflac Frequently Asked Questions Coverage underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.

[Moonchilde]

Just FYI, from the AFLAC website you can't find out any premium quotes, specific benefits or how an individual program works other than "reimbursement." You MUST provide them contact information so one of their agents can contact you. Actually, their website doesn't even function properly for anything other than info for employers. It's not "individual friendly" even for browsing/ information gathering.

I did find "The benefits are subject to a waiting period, as shown in the policy schedule, and the provisions in the Limitations and Exclusions section. Specific benefits are subject to a Policy Year maximum per covered person. The benefits are listed per covered person. All treatments must be performed by a Dentist. Policy must be in force and considered current when claim is submitted."

So. AFLAC may have the same 12 month waiting period for crowns, bridges and dentures that other insurers have, and they still have a yearly maximum like other insurers.

[feef]

We use Care Credit as well. Our dental insurance is decent, but like most, doesn't cover much dental work. The one bad thing about Care Credit like you said, be mindful to pay off the balance before the promotion ends or you will be shocked at how much interest had accrued.

[Abrowneyegirl]

AFLAC is great insurance.  But it is VERY expensive.  If you have lots of chronic illness it would be a worthwhile investment.

If you call them, sit down before they give you the premium price.