Delta Dental: Worst idea since the XFL?

DentalGuard Plan
http://www.guardianlife.com/
Comes with da job though, I don't really know since I'm just a stupid kid that doesn't pay for it.

 

My dental coverage is through United HealthCare, but it's basically the same story as yours.... The dentist tells me one price, the insurance company tells me another, and I'm stuck paying the difference... Though it's usually around 55%.

 

My dental insurance sucks too its Aetna or something like that.

 

this is a cleverly disguised insurance reform thread...isn't it?

 

hehe...nice. Funny you should bring this subject up as my wife is about to exercise my dental insurance pretty good with some major dental work. I'm about to experience exactly what you're going through....the pain and anguish over the evil necessity that we call insurance.

 

anyone know a good general dentist in houston? Preferably near med center?

 

For as long as I can remember, all of my expensive ortho work has been done at the UT dental school.

 

Thanks before I get any expensive dental work done I will be sure to double check and make sure I am not going to get screwed which is basically a given either way.

 

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/IEugtOiasB4&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/IEugtOiasB4&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

 

Dental insurance is a lot like vision insurance. You can't come out ahead unless you have tons of kids on the family plan.

I dropped dental a few years ago after they didn't pay squat for my wife's root canal. Just pay for your own cleaning, which is less than what you will pay for a year's worth of insurance. Keep some emergency cash in savings or just use a credit card if you need emergency dental. It's cheaper in the long run than crummy insurance.

 

I can't believe how bad dental insurance sucks.

 

God, why would somebody do that to a classic clip?

 

Exactly what I thought once I let it continue. After the first 10 seconds, I thought, "Good!" However, I noticed that somebody had made it a terrible loop. My guess is that they're trying to get around copyright laws.

 

i have delta dental...and they've honestly been great. It might depend on your level of coverage or something. I'm covered 80% on the major stuff.. and they've always covered 80% of anything. And I live in a high-cost area (DC metro area), so it's not like i'm with a cheap dentist.

I don't know man. But just wanted to say that the grass might not be greener since I've had a good experience w/Delta..basically saying that you'll get good/bad anywhere

 

Try to obtain your insurance plan booklet or brochure (from your employer or Delta Dental) ... it should explain what your insurance benefits are. Alternatively, you can call your insurance's customer service for clarification or benefit quotes.

Things you need to know:

1) Is there a preferred provider network associated with your plan? "Preferred" doctors/dentists agree (thru contract) to accept discounts. (Example: If a Preferred Provider bills $1k but his contracted allowance is $500, then he has agreed (by contract) to waive $500 in charges. If your plan pays 50% of the remaining $500, then you will only legally be responsible for your half - $250. If a Preferred dr/dentist tries to bill you for the discount, you should call the ins. plan and they will smack him down.

2)If your plan does not offer Preferred Provider network or your dentist is not a preferred dentist, then your plan will in most cases attempt to limit its financial liability to a reasonable or fair amount because it does not have a legally binding money-saving relationship with your dentist. They can do this because the policy or plan (which is a legal document) will be worded to protect the insurance co. from exposure to unlimited liability. That is, no insurance plan is going to expose itself to having to pay for some arbitrary or excessive amount that your dr/dentist decides he's going to charge.

3) The problem for you is that the non-preferred dr/dentist can still hold you responsible for his excessive fees because he probably got you to sign one of those forms that say YOU are ultimately responsible for amounts your insurance doesn't pay. Sometimes you can get a dr/dentist to waive his overcharges by negotiating with him or his billing agency directly. Arm yourself with knowledge. Contact your plan and ask them how they determine what is a reasonable or fair charge. Then ask your dr/dentist's billing office to justify billing $400 over what the insurance company says is a fair price for that type of service in that area. If the billing dept won't work with you, speak to your dr/dentist directly about the overcharge. Shame them into doing the right thing. If they won't work with you, then you need to find another provider.

Good Luck

 

Couldn't you have shopped around to find a dentist who would install the crown for $600 or less?