I just got a new job as a computer contractor, and as such, I don’t have any health benefits supplied by the company I work for. I just had a tooth pretty much break in half, and want to get dental insurance to get it fixed. My question is, can I just sign up, and get the discounted rate without them checking first if I have any pre-existing conditions? This is of course a general question, and I realize that different companies may have different policies. If you know of any companies that do not check for pre-existing conditions, please let me know.
I have heard, in a previous thread (which if you search on dental insurance you may be able to find) that some dentists will sign you up right in the office. This insurance probably isn’t as comprehensive or cheap as the kind you would get with a good employer benefit package, but it might get you something of a discounted rate.
In general, though, my reaction would be probably not. Dental insurance companies face this issue (adverse selection) all the time.
IANADentist, but I sometimes work for one, and handle a fair amount of insurance stuff. You will want to look very very carefully at private pay dental insurance and whether it will really save you money.
Most dental plans cover a large percentage of preventive care costs (reasonable and customary, of course, which usually means not quite as much as your dentist charges). Then they cover some “basic” procedures (usually root canals, fillings, and similar stuff) at a somewhat lower rate, and “major” procedures at an even lower rate. A pretty typical breakdown is 100% preventive, 80% basic, and 50% major. Depending on what’s wrong with your tooth and what it takes to fix it, you might only get benefits for half the reasonable and customary cost of the procedure.
That’s if you don’t run into a waiting period. Lots of dental insurance plans have waiting periods for basic and major procedures, which means that you can only get cleanings and x-rays covered until you’ve been paying premiums for six months, a year, or even two years. So no one is likely to inspect your mouth, because they’ve got their bases covered in another way.
You need to ask about coverage levels and waiting periods before you sign up, or you might get a nasty surprise. If your dentist has a helpful and knowledgeable receptionist/billing staff, talk to them. They may be able to help you determine whether insurance will really help you or not.
FYI, if you call up a dentist and say, “I have a broken tooth. How much will it cost to fix it?” you likely won’t get much of an answer. They’re not really just giving you the runaround. It’s terribly difficult to diagnose something like that over the phone, and you’ll probably have to go in for a diagnostic appointment before the dentist will be able to tell you what exactly is wrong and what it will take to repair it.
About paying for it: Whether you get insurance or not, you will likely end up with a hefty bill anyway. (Half a pile of money still being a pile of money and all that.) Care Credit is an excellent way to pay. Try to find a dentist that accepts it - you can charge the remainder of the bill for up to one year, interest free, and make monthly payments on it.
Hope some of this helps. Good luck with your tooth!
There are two types of dental insurance. The first is “you go to any dentist, and we cover a certain % of the bill, limitations apply”- Used to be common, now somewhat rare.
Next is “You go to one of the dentists on this list and you get a discounted rate”- many are like that now. In that case, it generally doesn’t matter about “pre-existing conditions”. This insurance is fairly cheap.