# Beware Of Medicare Advantage Programs As Well As Medicaid In Dealing With Dental Care



## Editorialist (Oct 24, 2020)

I thought the advantages of getting a Medicare Advantage policy would finally allow me to at long last be able to afford dental care which is much needed in my later years of life over traditional Medicare policies, plus the fact I had Medicaid which had always picked up the tab for the rest of my medical expenses. Well lo and behold these policies are not what you think they are.

In dealing with Medicare Advantage policies that cover dental care more and more dentists are no allowing such coverage even though your handbook state they do.

The same even applies to Medicaid.  I was shocked at a dental office that only accepted Medicaid and did not accept Medicare or Medicare Advantage patients and yet turned me down.  The reason I went was I had a problem tooth and my regular doctor looked at it and said it was rotten, something I have never experience with my other problem teeth.  She further stated I needed to have it removed quickly because it could result in the necessity of have a root canal procedure being performed.  I did not want to go through such an ordeal and ended up in this dentist’s office.

And this is not the end of the story.  The dentist proceeded to tell me the tooth had to be removed ASAP or it would lead to an infection that could travel to my eyes and brain and eventfully to my death.  I was in a state of shock.  Now I had to pay about $130.00 for the exam and then now pay an additional some $375.00 extra to have the tooth extracted

On top of that I could have had the procedure done at a much closer dentist who quoted the same price and his office was only three miles from my home where this other dentist’s office was about 15 miles away

In addition the dentist said he could do an implant and provide dentures to replace some of the extracted teeth which will probably run in the thousands of dollars.  There is no way I can afford to pay for all of this.

When I got home, I called my Social Service worker who handles my Medicaid coverage and she said I made too much income for Medicaid to cover dental expenses and that I only had coverage for medical expenses.  In order to qualify for dental benefits I would have to have a monthly income of less than about $802.00 monthly.  I now have a monthly income of at least #1,020 Social Security plus about $375.00 in savings and another checking account.



It is truly a shame such discrepancies exist in the systems designed to help people pay for all medical care.  It is also a disgrace that Medicare will not pay for dental, eye and hearing costs.  People don’t realize that untreated dental problems can lead to other medical problems which could result in death and other illnesses.  Not only this but in prescription drug coverage why must have that so called do nut hole inserted in our coverage; it make no sense at all to have such a situation which makes such so called affordable coverage impossible.

Clearly our health coverage system has too many flaws in it that desperately need to be fixed and fixed NOW!

People please be aware of what your plans cover.  If you seek a new doctor or dentist call them before you make an appointment and see if they approve of your plan and it is in their system.  Do the same with Medicaid. There is much deceptive advertising out there.  In the medical profession “all that glitters is not gold”.


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## MFP (Oct 24, 2020)

I don't understand, with all the money that goes into our SS tax while we're working plus what the supplemental insurance costs on the side of the Medicare later on, why can't they cover that stuff like a normal insurance company would? Why do they have to determine who gets care and what kind of care based on the crappy little amount you get from SS? Us older folks sure get screwed for all the years we put into our jobs.


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## Don M. (Oct 24, 2020)

In the U.S., our entire medical system is "Profit Driven".  As such, a person must pay a tidy sum for health care insurance.  Medicare/Medicaid pays only a "portion" of the expenses most people are likely to have....especially as they grow older.  The Medicare Advantage/Medigap plans extend the coverage....but at a cost.  As for vision/dental coverage, a person Must have separate policies for those needs, as the medicare plans barely cover more than a basic dental cleaning, or a basic vision checkup...and even those plans barely cover half the costs of vision/dental care.   

I'm not a fan of Socialism, but it's time that our people wake up and demand a health care system similar to what most of the rest of the civilized world uses.  It's a known fact that people in the US pay twice as much for health care as most other nations....and we rank way down the list in terms of value received for that money.  We would be Far better off paying a bit more in taxes to support a Universal health care system, but we would be relieved of the financial burden so many face by having to support private (for profit) insurance companies.  

However, so long as we have politicians who receive vast sums of money from the "health care industry" and its lobbyists, any major changes to our health care system are probably wishful thinking.  

We used to have a "Medical Profession"....where patient needs were the priority.  In recent decades that "profession" has come to be known as the "Health Care Industry"...which is finally telling us the Truth.  Virtually Every Industry has profit as its primary motive.


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## Butterfly (Oct 24, 2020)

Editorialist said:


> I thought the advantages of getting a Medicare Advantage policy would finally allow me to at long last be able to afford dental care which is much needed in my later years of life over traditional Medicare policies, plus the fact I had Medicaid which had always picked up the tab for the rest of my medical expenses. Well lo and behold these policies are not what you think they are.
> 
> In dealing with Medicare Advantage policies that cover dental care more and more dentists are no allowing such coverage even though your handbook state they do.
> 
> ...



Plain Medicare does not cover dental stuff, except in cases of accident, etc.  Routine dental care has never been covered by Medicare, so don't blame Advantage plans for that.  I've never had any insurance that covered dental care in any meaningful way.  

Medicaid, at  least where I live, is only for the very poor, and  you can't be covered by both Medicare and Medicaid.


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## win231 (Oct 24, 2020)

As I've said before, medical care has nothing to do with patients.  It's all about business.
One of the problems with a dental plan (and also medical plans) is that your dentist will recommend treatment options based on what's the most profitable & least time consuming for _him_, rather than what's best for the patient.  Less time-consuming treatment options mean more patients in his chair per day.  And his insurer is calling the shots.
This is not my opinion.  The dentist who did my total reconstruction explained what she went through when she started her practice at an HMO. She was constantly reprimanded for spending too much time with patients.  Her boss would tell her, "In the time you took with that patient, you should have seen 3 patients."  She took out loans so she could open her own practice & do what was best for her patients.
Before I became her patient, she spent over an hour discussing treatment options.


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## Marie5656 (Oct 24, 2020)

*I just had to change my coverage, because I moved to a different county. My previous coverage did not transfer over. Anyway, I had been planning to look into something different anyway.
I did ask about dental, but decided against it. Just making sure I have vision..which will cover the exam, but not the glasses.*


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## MFP (Oct 24, 2020)

They take Americans for a ride for sure. It seems us older folks are getting the short end of the stick. Just because we're old doesn't mean we should get less health care. I guess they figure we're not contributing anything to this world so why worry if we live or die right?


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## Ken N Tx (Oct 25, 2020)

Butterfly said:


> Plain Medicare does not cover dental stuff, except in cases of accident, etc.  *Routine dental care has never been covered by Medicare, so don't blame Advantage plans for that.  I've never had any insurance that covered dental care in any meaningful way. *
> 
> Medicaid, at  least where I live, is only for the very poor, and  you can't be covered by both Medicare and Medicaid.


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## debodun (Oct 29, 2020)

The place where I am having my dental implant done does not accept* ANY* insurances.


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## Pepper (Oct 29, 2020)

MFP said:


> They take Americans for a ride for sure. It seems us older folks are getting the short end of the stick. Just because we're old doesn't mean we should get less health care. I guess they figure we're not contributing anything to this world so why worry if we live or die right?


I find it just the opposite.  Never before have so many doctors wanted to see me.  Too many, in fact.  I get world-class healthcare with the finest hospitals and surgeons.  Wish I didn't need it, but since I do I'll have to take it.


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## Aneeda72 (Oct 29, 2020)

My mother in Washington state has medicare and Medicaid.  My disabled boys, in Utah, have Medicare and Medicaid as well.  I have no ideal of the dental coverage for either.


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## dobielvr (Nov 18, 2020)

Joe Namath is offering all kinds of free stuff now on the tv.  Dental, vision,, help paying you medicare premiums, etc.

I'm not calling, too much info to have to give.  They already know about all they need to know about me lol...


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## Remy (Nov 19, 2020)

I recently lost a tooth. Totally cracked, a goner. I don't have dental insurance because I work part time. (I have Obama Care) Cost to remove it was $250.00 something U.S. dollars. I expected it to be more. This included an x-ray. I'm not happy with losing a back molar but it could be worse. The tooth had a root canal and gold cap. I didn't get the tooth, perhaps the dentist sends in the gold and that provided a discount. I didn't ask. Dental can be so dicey regarding care and pricing. I feel lucky to have this dentist.

And dental health is so important. With all the money I spent on dental care when I had decent dental insurance, I hope these teeth last.


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