Insanity -- Complete, Utter Insanity!!

[atprm]

So, dd had a dentist appt today --

we knew she had a molar that would need a deep filling.

We have pretty good dental insurance -- um, THANK GOD!!

to fix her molar:

Root Canal: $1094 before insurance ... $322 after insurance
Core Buildup: $350 before insurance ... $205.50 after insurance
Crown: $1048 before insurance ... $558 after insurance

plus 3 small fillings:

each $110 before insurance ... each $22.00 after insurance


so if we didn't have insurance, the root canal, crown and 3 fillings would cost us: $2822!!

After insurance they still expect us to cough up $1151.50???

Are they HIGH??

I told them we can't take a loan out to get 4 teeth fixed...


so they are going to have to pull the back molar, and then do the 3 fillings...

for a grand total out of pocket of $135.50



I am not happy about the $135 either -- but at least it's not 4 mortgage payments!!!

[freeby4me]

Oh my gosh that is terrible! I cannot believe the cost of dental work. It'll probably go up because in tough times people put their teeth on the back burner which'll mean less business for the dentists.

[jedmatters]

WHOA.... I am shocked!!!!
4 mortgage payments for 1150???
I want your mortgage.

Hope you little one is better

[atprm]

our mortgage is $262.50 a month :)

[iluvmybaby]

So, dd had a dentist appt today --

we knew she had a molar that would need a deep filling.

We have pretty good dental insurance -- um, THANK GOD!!

to fix her molar:

Root Canal: $1094 before insurance ... $322 after insurance
Core Buildup: $350 before insurance ... $205.50 after insurance
Crown: $1048 before insurance ... $558 after insurance

plus 3 small fillings:

each $110 before insurance ... each $22.00 after insurance


so if we didn't have insurance, the root canal, crown and 3 fillings would cost us: $2822!!

After insurance they still expect us to cough up $1151.50???

Are they HIGH??

I told them we can't take a loan out to get 4 teeth fixed...


so they are going to have to pull the back molar, and then do the 3 fillings...

for a grand total out of pocket of $135.50



I am not happy about the $135 either -- but at least it's not 4 mortgage payments!!!

Those are the standard rate for dental work. Make sure that when you get that deep filling that they put a base in, which is medicine that will sooth the root, if they dont it is possible the root might die and she might need a root canal.

[buttrfli]

At least you have insurance and don't have to pay the full amount. I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I had insurance to pay for part of my medical/dental care.

[JKATHERINE]

WHOA.... I am shocked!!!!
4 mortgage payments for 1150???
I want your mortgage.

Hope you little one is better

ME, TOO! That's ONE mortgage payment for us!!

That sucks that it's so expensive though. But look at it this way...at least you have insurance to help out! We're lucky that we get our dental work done for cheap (and sometimes free) because of Adam's job. Otherwise we'd never afford it. We don't even have healthcare insurance.

[155oaks]

wow. shop around for the rest.

or go back and tell them they should be happy to have the business in this economy and that you want to discuss the bill again.
in my job when I hear that I listen and if I can afford to give the discount I will. Customer comes first. If I can't I flat out tell them to go somewhere else for cheaper.

[atprm]

I just can't imagine how they expect someone to pay that much (without insurance) -- that seems SO expensive!!

We opted to have them pull that back molar instead of the root canal / base aka core / crown.

I am glad that we have insurance (we certainly pay enough to have it -- $975 a month for medical and dental ....) but you would think paying those kinds of premiums you would get almost FREE services...but that is not the case.

I just can't wrap my mind around the number before insurance coverage... just blows me away.

[jcw]

that's crazy don't know how they expect people to afford dentist or drs

[fleabones3]

I needed some extensive dental work done, and the dentist was going to charge me $5000 almost $6000. Who the hell could afford that??!! I opted to get all my teeth pulled and have dentures on top. Cheaper.
Its crazy how much they charge, whether you have insurance or not. and if you are paying 1000 a month for health/dental and still having to pay that much for services its kind of like whats the point.. jeez. We just now have insurance, but it only pays for 10 counseling sessions a YEAR. My son needs it weekly.
I dread going to the doctor, because even with insurance , we are still stuck with a hefty bill. I know a lot of people will flame me or disagree, but the US really needs to have national healthcare like canada

[atprm]

I needed some extensive dental work done, and the dentist was going to charge me $5000 almost $6000. Who the hell could afford that??!! I opted to get all my teeth pulled and have dentures on top. Cheaper. That is the same for me -- to fix my upper teeth they wanted a little over $7K... so I had them all pulled on top ... still we paid $1800 out of pocket AFTER insurance!!



Its crazy how much they charge, whether you have insurance or not. and if you are paying 1000 a month for health/dental and still having to pay that much for services its kind of like whats the point.. jeez.

That is my whole "omg, I can't wrap my brain around this! SO much money comes out of his check to cover the premiums -- and STILL the coverage SUCKS!!!


I dread going to the doctor, because even with insurance , we are still stuck with a hefty bill. I know a lot of people will flame me or disagree, but the US really needs to have national healthcare like canada

awhile ago, I posted that my dh passed out cold in our kitchen, went out in an ambulance, I started CPR till the medics arrived -- 3 days in the hospital AFTER insurance... we finally got all the "bills" in --- our cost for 3 days?? $54,000!!!

I guess we will have to file bankruptcy, because there is no way we can pay that...that is more than the cost of our house! :(

[Mary Jo]

I understand.
My friend on disability for panic attacks goes to the doctor all the time plus gets a free ride there all for nothing. I have insurance and can't afford to go the doctor. The way I see it the people who have insurance are paying for those who don't.

[evrita]

I am still getting over the 4 house paymetns that isnt even one of mine. I am still paying off payments for going to the ER last year. If you call the hospital they might work with you to get your bill reduced and then you can make payments.

[baragabrat]

Wow. It's a sin what dentists charge. I have no dental insurance and figure that the cost of the insurance would be exorbitant in relation to our needs. Last year I had to have a crown put in and the doc is hooked up with a plan where if I applied and got okayed I would have a credit card for the dentist only...called Care. So I am able to pay off this crown with no interest. Otherwise, no crown. I don't have that kind of money (nearly $900.00)

Speaking of teeth, atprm, how are YOU doing, what with having abscesses and bronchitis?? MUCH better, I hope! (sorry, been meaning to PM you about your health, keep forgetting.)

[klutzie56]

Do you have a dental college anywhere near you. The university of MN does the work a lot cheaper. They have an instructor with the students so you get excellent work. Only problem it sometimes takes a couple of months to get in.

[krisharry]

I hear your pain, ds#3 accidentally knocked out one of my oldest's teeth, of course a permanent one, with good insurance, total out of pocket is close to $1,500 for emergency visit, stick tooth back in, root canal, 3 repackings, and then a permanent filling. Ridiculous, he better take really good care of that tooth LOL

[SLance68]

If you think those costs make you mad this will definitely send you off the edge. The dentists pay a dental lab to make the crowns. In our building at work we use to rent to 2 different dental labs. The dentist pays $ 75.00 for a crown. Unfortunately the dentists have gotten the state legislatures to make it illegal for you to go directly to a lab to get the crown made and then bring it to the dentist to install. The labs about 10 years ago circulated a petition to get that law changed here in Florida and the dental lobbyists kept it off the floor of the State Legislature.

[atprm]

Wow. It's a sin what dentists charge. I have no dental insurance and figure that the cost of the insurance would be exorbitant in relation to our needs. Last year I had to have a crown put in and the doc is hooked up with a plan where if I applied and got okayed I would have a credit card for the dentist only...called Care. So I am able to pay off this crown with no interest. Otherwise, no crown. I don't have that kind of money (nearly $900.00)

Speaking of teeth, atprm, how are YOU doing, what with having abscesses and bronchitis?? MUCH better, I hope! (sorry, been meaning to PM you about your health, keep forgetting.)

hey Lynn -- bronchitis is pretty much gone -- and they pulled the tooth last Monday even though I had the infection in it! (I could feel the pain even AFTER taking 1 vicodin and 1 800 mg Motrin!!)

My only "complaint" about them pulling that lower molar, is that I lost feeling in my bottom lip -- I guess that is a "problem" for people ... the bottom teeth are in control of the nerves in the jaw?? :(

What you are talking about is Care Credit -- we didn't qualify for that.


Ev-- yeah, our house was a repo house, and we got it for $35,000 --- so our payments for 15 years is $262.50 (well with homeowners insurance, our payment is $301 a month)

[G'maDebbie]

Actually if you were to call the dental office and ask them how much the "cash" price is for this work, you will find that it is way less. I don't know of a doctor, dentist, etc that doesn't jack the price up to the insurance companies....I am not trying to say that it would be affordable, I am just saying they have different pricing for cash.

[sandooch]

our mortgage is $262.50 a month :)

:hmpf: Okay, I officially hate you! My mortgage is $2,009 a month. Stupid California housing market. :getyou

About the dentist, though, I agree with you. The insurance hardly covers anything any more. My daughter had floride treatment done on her teeth, didn't take more than a few minutes to apply the paste. Out of pocket for me on that was $68. For what, spreading some paste on my daughter's teeth. Geeze, makes you not want to go to the dentist any more, insurance or no insurance.

[whatever]

My mother in law used to go to a local dentist (she does not have INS.)
and she would go for reg. check ups and cleanings. Plus she has alot of issues. Anyway they were letting her make payments. Which she was paying on time and I'm not talking $10 per month either. She pays a decent amount. When she was layed up and my fil had to have a tooth pulled they would not touch it unless she paid her bill in full of $1100. Plus they informed me to tell her not to come back till her either till it was paid off. WTF.
Most places will no longer except payments. I think alot of them are afraid of being put on a bankruptcy list or something.

[whatever]

awhile ago, I posted that my dh passed out cold in our kitchen, went out in an ambulance, I started CPR till the medics arrived -- 3 days in the hospital AFTER insurance... we finally got all the "bills" in --- our cost for 3 days?? $54,000!!!

I guess we will have to file bankruptcy, because there is no way we can pay that...that is more than the cost of our house! :(

I just saw this. OMG. For three days??? With INS???? I know our ins. is more or less a joke. But wow!!

[atprm]

yeah, I know...

I never quite fully understood the statement "most American families are 1 medical emergency away from homelessness".


NOW I understand!!