I am trying to shop around for a dental insurance plan (a PPO preferably) for my wife and I, but I can't seem to find one that would also cover dental implants or at least provide us with some serious discounts on implants and crowns and those sort of things. Does such a plan even exist? Any one gone through the process before? I am in a situation of having to purchase individual plans out of pocket since my company is too small to provide us with a group policy, and I'm getting compensated around $300 a month as an add-on to my paycheck every month to help with coverage. I would also ask the same about a good, affordable health insurance coverage for my me and my wife, although in individual plans there is no coverage for any maternal care should my wife get pregnant (something we are trying to avoid until at least 2014 when hopefully Obama's plan will kick into effect) or any pre-existing conditions. So, dental plan first than might partially cover implants, then maybe health insurance options within a reasonable range but with GOOD coverage (at least for office visits and seeing specialists and that kind of thing).
This tip is moronic. For one, dude says he has a job. Secondly, the idea that only "real" jobs have full health and dental policies makes no sense. Each company offers its own compensation, benefits and other perks. I am in the same boat as the OP (except have standard health through employer), yet have a great job where I am paid very handsomely. I'll take my job and comp package and finding my own dental insurance than many other options. It's small company and dental insurance is just not a benefit included with the job. My wife needs some crown/other serious work done. We don't currently have dental insurance. If anyone's gone through the process of finding dental insurance on their own in Texas, especially that covers pre-existing major work, any advice or point in the right direction would be helpful to me, too. Thanks.
I got a problem with stupid advice in a thread asking for specific help. Something that happens to often on this BBS/the internet. I guess Clutchfans is better than most, but not every thread is a competition to see who can make the wittiest remark. The guy was pretty clear in what he was looking for. It is useful information to me, too. I can google like everyone else, but actual advice and help in this area is appreciated.
I have Metlife Dental through a group plan at work. In network/out of network plan coverage is exactly the same (which is a good thing since my provider went from in to out of network). $50 deductible for myself ($150 for the family) with a $2500 max for this coverage year. Benefit levels range from 50 - 80% depending on the exact procedure for crowns and implants. Not exactly your situation, but I was able to get a discount on a night guard when a friend was unable to with her Delta Dental group insurance plan. Of course, your rates/benefits will probably vary since you are going in at an individual plan level. I tried finding information on this but came up empty. Hope this helps to narrow it down. Good luck.
This is what me and the wife recently signed up for, ~40ish buck for both of us to sign up, 20 bucks every month after; http://www.metlife.com/individual/insurance/dental-insurance/safeguard.html
Thanks so much GRENDAL and others who took the time to provide valuable advice on this topic. Just to clarify, I do LOVE my job and I do get tons of other benefits like paid time off and other things better than most probably get at those corporate jobs, we are just a small company that doesn't provide a group policy insurance option to its employees -- that is the only thing missing though, in my opinion. If others have suggestions for individual policies, please chime in as I imagine more than a few of your fellow Clutchfaners are in the same boat.
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70% of my patients are PPO patients. None of their plans cover implants. The reason for this is that there are two other, much less expensive ways to fill in a missing space...either a bridge or a removable denture. With these two treatments, insurance will typically pay half. If you want implants, you'll have to pay out of pocket, approximately 4-5k per tooth.
Just an idea.... why don't you see if you can get your ER to consider buying group plans (medical/dental) and pay the EE cost or half of the EE cost (approximating the $300 being conveyed your way anyway) and let the EEs pick up the cost of Spouses/Dependents? Don't know how "small" your company is but most times you might get better coverage and solve underwriting problems that some EEs or Families might have.
