Dental Insurance

[txtiger]

I am a full timer. I have Medicare and a Supplement, neither cover dental. I did not go with a Medicare Advantage Plan that includes dental because I am full time and travel a lot and did not want an HMO. I wanted nationwide coverage.  I now need several implants which are expensive. I have a So Dakota domicle. Does any know of a nationwide dental plan?

[docj]

We have an inexpensive Humana Dental PPO that works with our SD address.  It covers our cleanings (when we used to have them before COVID) and it gives us a bit of a break on other services.  I have a hunch that implants are still going to be expensive.  Prior to COVID lots of folks in south TX would go across the border to Mexico for implants.  Not sure if that would work now.

[kaypsmith]

I also have an Aetna advantage plan, covers in all 50, there is a network, but there are doctors in almost every city, and if you can't find one, you just pay a higher co-pay for one not in the network. Co-pay is $5.00 in and $30.00 out.

[txtiger]

Thanks. As I stated in my original post, I’m not looking for an Advantage Plan, I’m looking for a stand alone nationwide dental plan. 

[manholt]

Implants fall under "Cosmetics"...I found no such coverage when I was looking!  2 choices are dentures, full or partial is covered by Medi Care and most supplemental plans.  I opted for full implants by Smiles of Texas in Houston...$42,500, lot of $$$ but well worth it.  Did mine in 2016 !

[txtiger]

Wow. $42,500!!!  Is that a typo? Did it really cost you that much? 

[manholt]

No typo!  They put me out, took all my teeth out, not only where they rooting but quite a few had bad infection between the root and bone sockets, took 2.5 hours extra to save my life, then I was given temporary upper & lower teeth, screwed in...it takes about 9 months to heal and constant adjustment of the plates as your gums shrink (no pain involved)!  9 months later & countless visits, between RV trips and cruises, I got my permanent plates.  Financing is available, if you want.  

I just hated the thought of my teeth in a glass!  Uppers have a bad tendency off falling out in your soup, when you least expect it. LOL  

[wayne77590]

Okay! I just have to tell this.

Back in 2006 on a Run For The Wall (think hundreds of motorcycles) we were traveling along side by side and there were about 200 or so bikes in 3 different formations, side by side, staggered and trikes. I was in the first formation about 5 back of about 50 or so and side by side.

I looked over at my side partner and started to shout something. Picture this; teeth flew out and I watch as it crossed in front of me from wind and was gone - over my shoulder. I pulled over to the side and stopped. I was probably 100 feet or so from where they flew out. I had to wait for the rest of the bikes to go by.

I started walking along the side of the road. About 75 feet or so, lo and behold, sitting on a tuft of grass smiling up at me was my full plate. I picked it up and it was covered in sand. No way was I going to put THAT in my mouth. I walked back to my bike thinking I would just put them in my saddle bag when I saw, just across from where my bike was, a little "pull-in park" AND IT HAD  a water fountain.  Went over, washed the teeth off, stuck them in my mouth and started running my tongue around. Found one tooth on the right side that has a small chip.

Must have it the grass hard.

Yes, I was very, very luck that I did not have to eat soup for the next week. I subsequently purchases some dental stick-em stuff.

True story!

[manholt]

Wayne.

If you have denture already, you can go in and have them permanently installed...like mine and the cost is paid for by Medicare!  Don't know about VA.

I was on that Wall Run also, along with 49 other Shriners "Roadrunners!"  "We Ride so Kids can Walk!"

[wayne77590]

I was the ugly one, who where you.

Small world. I picked them up in Weathford, TX. I wanted to go to the West Coast and make the whole trip but the accident happened and put riding days behind me.

Oh! I won't tell how fast I had to go to catch up with my group! I did keep my mouth shut though, first time ever and last!

 

Edited July 3, 2020 by wayne77590

[manholt]

Tall & old.  We started in Galveston at the Children Burn Hospital and picked up riders as we went, we also had a lot of RV's behind us!  I won't mention the other MC Clubs that was in front of us!  Suffice it to say, we where the only once allowed to wear our colors, besides the Blue Angels! 

I was riding my new HD Classic Cruiser Trike ( converted to a trike in Troop, TX.).

Edited July 3, 2020 by manholt

[hermanmullins]

Nice stories but let's get back to the topic, Dental Insurance. 

Thanks 

Herman 

[wayne77590]

Follow up: I should have added that I didn't have dental insurance.

 

[manholt]

Same here!  I dipped into my self insurance account.

[campcop]

I think you find that Dental implants won’t be covered under any insurance that is affordable. We have pretty good supplemental insurance thru BC&BS and only specific parts of the procedure were covered. Basically cost me about $4000 for one molar.

my friends go to Palomas, MX, the cost there is about half. Ironically, the dentist there lives in ElPaso, TX

[wayne77590]

Have a friend that went into MX from somewhere in AZ.  American doctor picked her up at the border and brought her back home as I understand it. She had lots of implants for less than $10k.

[manholt]

Here in TX they go to Progresso for implants, about 1/3 US price.

Wayne, was that Porto Punesco (Rocky Point)?  A friend had his 45 foot coach repainted there, 3 colors for $9,000...fantastic job!

[wayne77590]

I don't know. I asked the person who did it but she said they have changed a lot of things and she would not go back to them.

 

[manholt]

Very popular place, straight down Hwy 85 from Buckeye, AZ to Border, then Mex 8 to Rocky Point (84k).  Lot's of Condo's and houses, owned by Americans! I suspect prices have gone up.