Will military benefits cover the full cost of braces? & how will insurance work with my daughter?

Just curious as to what military medical insurance will cover once I'm married. In all aspects, medical, vision and dental, but I'd also like to know how much of the cost of braces it will cover, if not all. He will be active duty while we're married if that helps out. Also, this will be the first time I've done anything like this and I have a daughter too.. would she be under his insurance as well since she's not his or would she remain under her own father's? We'll be living in a completely different state from her father once we get married and all (I have NO idea how things like this work, so don't mind my ignorance :). Thanks.
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Just so you know, braces are not covered 100 percent. We checked on some for my daughter and the military dental plan would only pay a total of $1500.00 toward them. If your daughter is registered in DEERS as a dependent of your husband she will be eligible for full medical care.
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Please what is a health care reimbursement account?

Is hcra the money deducted from my bi weekly paycheck for health insurance or is it a seperate account i have to set up? I really need to know because i have a pwa card but the amount of money on it cannot cover my current dental expences so i have to pay with my own money. I want to know if there is anyway i can claim the money back.
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Healthcare Reimbursement Account, or an HRA, is a high deductible health insurance plan that your employer uses as a stop-loss, in order to provide you with more cost-effective health insurance. While I cannot say for certain without being your insurance agent, the bi-weekly deductions are most likely your contribution towards the health insurance plan. So no, there is probably no way you can claim the money back. However, you may wish to speak to your employer about adding on a Flexible Spending Account, which makes good financial sense for both the employer and the employees. It will help you pay for your dental and medical expenses pre-tax, which can wind up saving you huge amounts of money. I hope this helped!
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Why do a lot of health insurance plans through your parents employers cut you off at 25 yrs old?

I'm a full time student and turned 25 in September. I guess once September ended I'm no longer covered under my dad's health insurance. I was surprised because I at least thought I had the semester to finish off since it was that way with my friend. But anyways, why do a lot of companies cut you off by then? I know a lot of people at that age are done with college, but there are still plenty who aren't. I'm still an undergrad, but what about the ones that are going to medical school, dental school, etc, that aren't even done with college until there late 20s if they went right out of high school? 25 is still young, and it's still hard to afford for most people at that age. Also, I heard about student insurance. Do most college have that for students to check into?
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Because you need to grow up and be on your own at some time. 25 years is enough to rely on mommy and daddy.
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Would you consider using a dentist if this was on their record?

Would you even consider at all using a cosmetic dentist that had this happen to him? I found this Summaries of Regents Actions on Professional Misconduct and Discipline (NY) on a dentist I was considering using. It said he did Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 24 month suspension, execution of last 18 months of suspension stayed, probation 3 years, 100 hours of public service, $30,000 fine. Summary: Licensee admitted to charge of delegating professional responsibilities to a person or persons when he knew or had reason to know that such person or persons was/were not qualified by licensure to perform the acts; submitting insurance claims for reimbursement for professional services performed by unlicensed persons; and having been convicted of attempted unauthorized practice of dentistry and/or dental hygiene. Im not sure what to do I just wish I had more details. The penalty seemed pretty stiff when compared to things other dentists did.
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I would still see him. Just make sure that he is the one who sees you, rather then delegating the task (you) to someone lacking skill
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Can you compare these two health insurance plans?

I'm going to be a college freshman, and I'm considering whether or not I should opt for my school's comprehensive (but extremely expensive) health insurance plan or stick with my current Blue Cross (Anthem?) plan. Here are the details: Option one is the 3500 PPO plan from Anthem. The premium is $73/mo or just under $900 a year. Like the name suggests, the deductible is $3500 and I supposedly pay nothing after that. http://www.individualhealth.com/bluecross/bcc3500.htm Option two is called "Cardinal Care" through the university. It i a whopping $800/qtr, or $3200/yr. However, the benefits are great and the coverage is very comprehensive. $10 co-pay, and $200 deductible and I pay 20% of costs after that. http://www.stanford.edu/group/vaden/insurance/cardinalcare.html Which plan should I opt for? My family might sign up with me if I go for the Anthem one which would decrease the deductible per person. I also don't go to the hospital/doctor very much, but I would like dental/eye benefits. I also pay a health service fee to my school which covers basic medical needs such as medical advice, weekday appointments, urgent care, etc. Thanks!
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Since you are young and healthy, I would opt for the Anthem plan. The Cardinal Care Plan sounds good if you go to the doctor all the time and have health problems. The Anthem plan would be good in the event of an emergency, for example, you need emergency surgery, etc...And your family will benefit also. If you also pay a health service fee for the "basics", that's great, too! There really isn't a need for you to spend so much money on premiums if you are relatively healthy. Sounds like you did a good job gathering information! Good luck to you at school!
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I am 25 and my health insurance ran out. Where can I get cheap health insurance in NY that includes:?

Also, what does this mean in lamens terms? With a high deductible health plan (HDHP), you pay for most health care expenses up to a certain amount before the insurance policy begins to cover them. The standard deductible is $1,150 for individuals Hospitalization (MAJOR MEDICAL) Prescription Coverage Out Patient (Dr. Office Visits, House Calls) Right to pick your own doctor within the network Emergency Care Surgical Care Optional: Dental/Optical Very Least Must Have Hospitilization/Surgical/Emergency
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I'm in NYC and have Medicaid. You can't exactly pick your own doctor, they have to accept Medicaid. Also, there are income/asset restrictions.
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Should I take COBRA or get individual health insurance?

I am 60 yrs old and have high blood pressure. My spouse is 62 and smokes. Under COBRA, we would pay $836 a month for medical and dental. That coverage started in February but I have until May to decide if I want COBRA or not. At this point, if I choose COBRA, I have to pay for the months of February and March which have already passed. It's a federal law which makes no sense. But anyway, that's $1672 out the window. Am I better off using my money to get individual health insurance? My concern is that I don't know how having high blood pressure and my spouse being a smoker will affect things. Also, I recently had some dental work done and told them they may have to file a claim through COBRA if I do get it. The billing lady told me that they have problems with billing to COBRA because it's taking COBRA 60 to 90 days to pay a claim which will incur interest for the patient. Has anyone experienced this? I'm just so confused about all this. I'd appreciate any advice.
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Short Answer: Take the COBRA, pay the back premium, and when you turn 65, hop on Medicare A, B, D and Medigap. Long Answer: It is very difficult, if not impossible, for a high-blood pressure, secondhand smoker at age 60 to find individual health insurance that will cover what you want it to cover, and chances are good that it will be more expensive than COBRA. $1672 for two months of back pay may be difficult to swallow, but nothing like a $30,000 bill will be if you wind up in the hospital without insurance. Take the COBRA while investigating your own individual Health Insurance. If you can find something less expensive: Awesome. THEN you can ditch COBRA. Until then, stick with the federally supported plan. Be aware that unless you had dental coverage before you parted ways from your last job, you won't have any now either. Enrolling in COBRA will cover you retroactively to the date your coverage was terminated, exactly as it was. Depending on what state you are in, it may not be LEGAL for the dentist's office to charge you interest once the claim has been submitted, so if they try it, check with a licensed representative before you just pay it. On the other hand, it may just be simpler to pay the dentist and then submit to your insurance for reimbursement, but that is up to you.
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Does a father paying child support also have to help with medical/dental bills?

I am not trying to be a money grubbing b****, my son is 9 years old and his father has made no attempt to see him in years, when he does see him it's because we run into someone in his family. Anyway about my question, we both live in Ohio, we were never married or even a couple, so there are no custody papers, I am the one who is raising him (with the help of my husband) feed him and clothe him. I have never asked his father for anything, in fact he rarely pays his child support. I have paid for everything since he was born (all medical/dental bills, ect.). His dentist recently refered him to an orthodontist and they want him to have an expander and then partial braces. I am just wondering if it's his responsibility to help pay for this, he has never carried insurance on him or helped with anything else, but I know braces are very expensive and my insurance will only cover $1000 of it.
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I live in Ohio too. Somewhere in your original child support or court documents, there is a section on medical/dental support. Medical Insurance support is also calculated into the monthly child support obligation. So he "should" already be paying something toward the medical insurance part of it, since you say he's not paying right now, it's racking up in back support. But there is also a section on medical/dental bills that exceed the amounts paid by the insurance. It will say something like... "regarding future uninsured medical and/or hospitalization expenses involving the parties minor child the petitioner(you) shall pay the first x amount per year per child of any such uninsured expense. Thereafter the petitioner(you) shall pay x% per year and the respondant(him) x% per year of any remaining balance." The kicker is, that if you do have medical/dental bills that he is supposed to pay his x% on, you have to send them to him and request the payment in a "timely" fashion. If you do send them to him (I'd do it certified to prove you sent them), and he refuses to pay it, then you have to take him to court over it. The court will rule in your favor, because he is already technically liable for these "extra" medical bills, but the only way to make him pay is through the courts. The biggest problem is that if you wait too long to try to get these medical/dental reimbursements you possibly won't get them. He can claim that if you would have sent them to him sooner he could have submitted them to his insurance (even if he did not have insurance for the child), the statute of limitations on sending past medical bills to an insurance carrier is one year. But, as long as you can prove you sent him the bills and you tried to get the money from him, he won't have a leg to stand on, and you can get him to pay your court and attorney costs, since the only reason your in court is because he failed to follow the obligation.
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can i ask for a copy of my dental records?

i had been going to a dentist for years and last year changed to a different provider because it seemed as if they were just scamming the insurance company. now at my new dentist they said i have developed peridontal disease and is well developed. my previous dentist had never mentioned anything about signs leading to this disease. can i ask for a copy of my dental records to see if he had taken any note of it? should i contact a lawyer first? my dentist says im far along enough that i shouldve been alerted about it by my previous dentist. is this possible grounds for a lawsuit?
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I apologize in advance for the length of this answer.... Yes, you can have a copy of your dental records. The records technically belong to the dentist, but you are entitled to a copy of anything in them. If your new dentist requests them, there may not be a charge. However, if you just go into the office and ask for them, they may charge you either a flat fee or by the page. As for your perio disease... in your chart you should look for periodontal probing charts. At each appointment, you should have been "probed". During this procedure, the dentist or hygienist uses an instrument to probe 6 areas around each tooth to check the depth of the 'pocket' that holds the tooth in. Any reading under a 3 is considered normal. Anything over 3 is a periodontal condition that should be treated in some way and you should have known about it. Any LACK of a periodontal chart is, unfortunately, negligence. Please be aware that it is not uncommon for a periodontal disease to be caught when a person changes dentists because the previous office wasn't checking and the new office does. Also, if you DO have a periodontal probing chart in your records and the numbers are normal... you should know that periodontal disease takes quite some time to develop so if you went to the dentist regularly and the numbers on the chart are in the 'normal' range there are 2 possibilities: 1) something shady was going on during the charting process or 2) it is possible you have a systemic problem (compromised immune system, diabetes, etc.) that caused the periodontal disease to progress faster than normal. On the bright side, now that you have caught it, if you take good care of your teeth from this point your disease shouldn't get worse. Good luck!
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So why are the Big Health insurers against Canadian style Health insurance?

The following story was posted in AP News today. My question is if insurers don't want an Obama Healthcare System that is socialized and a far cry from the "Best medical system in the world", then why are insurers content to send the insured overseas for "knee-replacements" and "heart by-pass" operations? I'm for Obama's plan and KEEPING AMERICAN JOBS HERE !!! (i.e. doctors, nurses and support staff). Screw the insurance companies as they have us for so long ! Insurers aim to save from overseas medical tourism Costa Rican Dr. Luis Obando prepares to perform a root canal on Bill Jones, of Dallas, Texas, at Meza Dental Care in San Jose, Costa Rica. Jones said he elected to have the surgery in Costa Rica because he was able to save substantially compared to what he would have had to pay in the USA. Enlarge image Enlarge By Kent Gilbert, AP Costa Rican Dr. Luis Obando prepares to perform a root canal on Bill Jones, of Dallas, Texas, at Meza Dental Care in San Jose, Costa Rica. Jones said he elected to have the surgery in Costa Rica because he was able to save substantially compared to what he would have had to pay in the USA. COSTS, SAVINGS Medical tourism trips offer steep savings, but they don't pack enough financial might to play a key role in President Obama's push to lower U.S. health care costs. Medical travel cost U.S. health care providers about $5.1 billion in business in 2007, according to estimates by Paul Keckley, executive director of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. While significant, that amounts to less than 1% of the $2.36 trillion spent on health care in the United States that year. Medical tourism can yield savings of as much as 80% on some procedures compared to care in the United States. But traveling isn't for everyone and these trips are generally not an option for emergencies. A patient's willingness to travel for non-emergency care often depends on the savings at stake. With a low deductible and no incentives from an insurer or employer to travel, a patient may have little motivation to make a trip. Any result from the Washington reform push is unlikely to affect medical tourism, Keckley said, because it won't lower costs enough to erase price gaps with foreign care providers. By Tom Murphy, The Associated Press Elizabeth Kunz left her dentist's office this spring with a mouth full of problems and no way to pay for them. The South Carolina resident went out of her way, literally, to find a solution, which turned out to be in Central America. Her trip to the tropics is part of a health insurance experiment for trimming medical costs: overseas care. As Washington searches for ways to tame the country's escalating health care costs, more insurers are offering networks of surgeons and dentists in places like India and Costa Rica, where costs can be as much as 80% less than in America. Until recently, most Americans traveling abroad for cheaper non-emergency medical care were either uninsured or wealthy. But the profile of medical tourists is changing. Now, they are more likely to be people covered by private insurers, which are looking to keep costs from spiraling out of control. The four largest commercial U.S. health insurers — with enrollments totaling nearly 100 million people — have either launched pilot programs offering overseas travel or explored it. Several smaller insurers and brokers also have introduced travel options for hundreds of employers around the country. FIND MORE STORIES IN: South Carolina | Costa Rica | PricewaterhouseCoopers | Southern Methodist University | Aetna | Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association | Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu | Frequent flyer program Growth has been slow in part because some patients and employers have concerns about care quality and legal responsibility if something goes wrong. Plus, patients who have traditional plans with low deductibles may have little incentive to take a trip. But a growing number of consumers with high-deductible plans, which make patients pay more out of pocket, could make these trips more inviting. In the meantime, the insurance industry's embrace of overseas care has had a pleasant side effect at home: some U.S. care providers are offering price breaks to counter the foreign competition. This domestic competition and the slumping economy have led to slower growth for medical tourism over the past year, as patients put off elective procedures that involve big out of pocket costs, said Paul Keckley, executive director of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. Last year, the center estimated that 6 million Americans would make medical tourism trips in 2010. But Keckley has since shaved that projection to about 1.6 million people. Still, that more than doubles the roughly 750,000 Americans who traveled abroad in 2007, the last year for which Deloitte had actual numbers. Keckley expects the medical tourism industry to recover, as more health insur
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Take a look of the HMOs CEO salaries and you will know why. It is 1996 figure. The HMOs are so powerful these days and they pay a lot of money to radio talk show hosts to......... The 25 Highest Paid HMO Executives 1996 Annual Compensation Exclusive of Unexercised Stock Options Stephen Wiggins, CEO, Oxford Health Plans, Inc. $29,061,599 Wilson Taylor, Chairman and CEO, CIGNA Corporation $11,568,410 David Snow, Executive Vice President, Oxford Health Plans, Inc. $10,403,451 Robert Smoler, Executive Vice President, Oxford Health Plans, Inc. $10,085,972 Joseph Sebastianelli, President, Aetna, Inc. $7,394,506 Michael Cardillo, Executive Vice President, Aetna, Inc. $7,069,969 Leonard Schaeffer, Chairman and CEO, WellPoint Health Networks, Inc. $7,010,698 George Jochum, President and CEO, Mid-Atlantic Medical Services, Inc. $6,526,065 Ronald Compton, Chairman and CEO, Aetna, Inc. $5,813,287 Wayne Smith, Former President, Humana, Inc. $5,166,575 James Stewart, Executive Vice President, CIGNA Corporation $4,832,799 Richard Huber, Vice Chairman, Aetna, Inc. $4,801,841
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if both parents have a good medical insurance plan, which plan do the children have to be covered under.?

Also If one parents plan has better medical and the others parents has dental and vision can the child be covered for all three?
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The children can have a "primary" and a "secondary", but you have to specify at the time of enrollment which is which. If there is a claim, the secondary insurance will pick up where the primary left off.
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Are you Americans worried about the lack of universal healthcare?

Would you be in favour of adopting a system like in Canada? Canada's health care system is a group of socialized health insurance plans that provides coverage to all Canadian citizens. It is publicly funded and administered on a provincial or territorial basis, within guidelines set by the federal government. Under the health care system, individual citizens are provided preventative care and medical treatments from primary care physicians as well as access to hospitals, dental surgery and additional medical services. With a few exceptions, all citizens qualify for health coverage regardless of medical history, personal income, or standard of living.
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Having a universal plan would be much better than having no plan, though. Otherwise, you can be hung out to dry so easily. I used to have health insurance through my job, not great but decent, $40 copay for preventative stuff, and about $100 a month, which was so much worse than what I had when I went to college through the school, but I was glad to have something. Then I went in for a gynecology appt and found out that my pap smear was abnormal - I might have cervical cancer. A colposcopy was scheduled and right around that time, my company was bought out by this Australian company. That was this December. They cancelled our health insurance, and keep stringing us along as to when we're getting new health insurance. The latest word is June. I've had to keep putting off my follow-up treatment, because I can't afford a few thousand dollars, and the only clinic sort of cheap place I know that can help only makes appointments at the beginning of a month, and if you call and they're booked up that month, you have to call back next month for an appointment. I'm a little scared at this point. However, we do seem to do a good job as a country at covering children. I just don't understand why the human life apparently becomes worthless when you turn 18/graduate college.
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Where do I find GREAT health insurance?

COST DOES NOT MATTER. I already pay nearly $700/mo. for my current health insurance. I don't mind paying for great coverage. (I am in Arkansas, and yes, that usually matters.) Here's what I'm looking for: $500 Deductible Coverage ANYWHERE I go, but having a "preferred network" is fine, so long as I still get coverage elsewhere. Rx that is NO MORE than $30 for brand name drugs. Full Dental Coverage Vision - if possible Yearly Out of Pocket - $2500 or less. ALL MAJOR MEDICAL I currently have coverage that FAR exceeds what I've listed above, but it runs out at the end of the year. I am Diabetic (type 1), and use an insulin pump. I've not found anything even close to what I currently have. So, I've set much lower standards, as are laid out above. Where can I find such insurance? Again, cost does NOT matter.
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Dear Cyanne, Blue and Blue of Mich. [Plan A or C.] Plan A Has NO deductible it's there 100% coverage Plan C is there 20/80 copay. You are responsible for 20% of the first 5,000.oo No "compant doctors and it's good ANYPLACE on the planet, if you are traveling a lot. Hugs, PennyAnn
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I am 25 and my health insurance ran out. Where can I get cheap health insurance in NY that includes:?

Also, what does this mean in lamens terms? With a high deductible health plan (HDHP), you pay for most health care expenses up to a certain amount before the insurance policy begins to cover them. The standard deductible is $1,150 for individuals Hospitalization (MAJOR MEDICAL) Prescription Coverage Out Patient (Dr. Office Visits, House Calls) Right to pick your own doctor within the network Emergency Care Surgical Care Optional: Dental/Optical Very Least Must Have Hospitilization/Surgical/Emergency
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Try this site where you can get quotes from different companies in NY so you can compare them and decide which is the best for you http://heinsurance.notlong.com  I hope it helps you.
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Helping my father to find health insurance that covers preexisting problems?

So my father is going through a rough time, with his medical conditions, which are BPH and high blood pressure. He is currently not taking medication for the conditions, but he does have prescription medicines available to him. He is also 55 years old, 6 foot tall, 180 lbs, and Norwegian/Australian(Caucasian). I have been shopping around for health insurance on the internet, but there is so much information. I still need to check if he qualifies for Medicare or medical(Medicaid, we live in California). Ive been offered so many different plans, but it seems that the only major insurance company that will cover him is Aetna. I was also offered a medical group coverage by the name of MBLA? He is only looking for medical coverage and doctor visits type coverage, not dental. I really don't have a direction I am going to take my research. Any help would be very much appreciated.
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Common situation you met like many other people,be patient,and check the resource here    www.HealthInsuranceIdeas.info    i found very useful for me to solve my similiar problem.
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Moms I need advice on Health Insurance for my child! Adivce?

My husband just started a new job yesterday with a new VERY large company. We thought they would have great health insurance because they were a large company. But Boy was I wrong. To cover our family of 3 we have to pay 184 dollars a WEEK. That does not cover dental,Optical,Disablity, Life insurce etc. If we wanted the whole package, We would have to pay 1300 dollars a month. I called the Boss and asked him why so much and he told me because were a group by law we have to take everyone, smokers, people with pre-exsisting conditions, the obese, diabetic etc. I am for everyone having health insurance but because My husband and I are perfectly healthy, we hardly need the doctor yet have to pay the same coverage that the sick pay.. Now I am looking at a Private company. They tell me I have to pass a health screening test, not smoke, drink be over weight etc..And I don't. I am very young and healthy. I do need suggestions on what company's to go for. Any tips would be nice.
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Unfortunately, you will likely pay less by going through your husband's employer. Health Insurance is not cheap, and women and children are viewed as expensive in the eyes of an insurance company anyways (healthy or not). I've dealt with insurance companies from both sides, by looking into personally and from the employer's side. Generally the employer gets the better rate, as they are getting the "group discount" price. It does sound like the employer does not contribute much to the health insurance, which is sad. Many employers contribute more, but in this economy, employers may be cutting back their contribution. It is worth looking into getting the insurance yourself, but I wouldn't be too surprised if it costs more than through the employer's plan.
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What do I have to do to get him to help with Dental?

My divorce is 6 years old. My ex has covered our child's dental expenses in the past but now that he is remarried he is refusing to pay anymore. He says that the decree does not order him to do it. I asked my atty. & he said "all divorces compel the NCP to pay medical and dental" BUT I did read the divorce & it actually only addresses medical. Our child needs a significant amount of dental / orthodontic work done as there is a lot of crowding etc. with the teeth. What do I need to do to compel him to help with these expenses? I don't even need him to provide insurance, just to help with co-pays. Btw, divorce decree is in TX. Thanks in advance!
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take him back to court and have him explain to the judge why he doesn't feel like paying for his kid shame on him
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If you are short on insurance coverage?

My dad needs final restoration (consisting of 5 procedure codes/modules) after a root canal theraphy on his molar.... His annual coverage is $1500 and he had used up about $960.... I am expecting that his dental coverage remaining for the year will not pay all of the contract price. The situation is that the remaining coverage will probably cover the contract price of 3 and 1/2 procedures modules.... The insurance company says it's up to the provider to decide what they will charge if you go over the annual limit of $1500, but from their observation, most providers tend to just charge the contract price so that patient ends up paying the contract price and plus the co-insurance instead of the actual non-contract price. Has anyone had experience or opinion with this kind of situation where you expect you will run over the annual coverage limit? Both the patient and provider perspectives are appreciated. Thanks.
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healthquotes.awardspace.info - here is my health insurance plan. As I remember they can provide such a service.
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Absessed Tooth- No insurance..Pls help!?

My back molar has been broken for quite some time now and I was supposed to go over a year ago to have it removed.. Well, I never went because I was deathly afraid to go to the dentist. Now, obviously Im paying for it. As of yesterday, The gum surrounding my tooth had a dull pain to it, and I woke up this morning with my throat swollen, my gums are swollen and it hurts like you know what. I cant go to Urgent Care without insurance or they will expect me to pay flat out.. Same with my local Health department, who offers dental services to low income families... However, I just spoke with them and they said I would have to apply for a medical card, which I have tried to do, and I need a paper signed that is next to impossible to get signed. SO basically.. Cant get a medical card right now, cant go to urgent care.. Am I just going to have to go the ER? I know they cant turn me down, and Im not looking for pain medicine, I just want some antibiotics to take the infection away.. My tongue is constantly rubbing on it and Im pretty sure its killing me. :'( It hurts soo bad. I have no problem paying for my prescriptions.. I just need to get one.. Unless there is an OTC product I can buy that is similar to Penicillin or Amoxicillin? Ugh, please help.. I cant miss work to go to the hospital, but Im so desperate.. If I go to the ER, what will they do? Are they going to cut my gum to let it drain? If so, does that hurt really bad? Probably cant hurt much worse than what it does now..
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Go to the dentist and get this fixed like you were supposed to in the beginning. Don't burden some physician who really can't help you in the first place. It's not going to get better. I read the question. I guess I don't know what you are expecting anyone to do. No one can fix this except a dentist. You've known for a year or so that you should have gotten this taken care of and now you're starting to face the consequences. Go to carecredit.com and try to get some credit so you can get this taken care of. All the physician is going to say is "here are some pain meds, go to the dentist." It's not going to cost you $700 to have a tooth taken out anyways. Maybe $200.
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How can I get more insurance to go along with my current plan?

I currently have pretty good health insurance with 10 dollar co-pays etc. But I want even more for my son psychological visits I have to pay an additional 20% above the copay. I was wondering if there is "gap insurance" out there for people who already have a decent policy. I cannot buy up in my current plan through work until next May and really do not want to wait. Nor do I want to pay another 200-400 dollars a month for merely a little extra gap coverage for reimbursement on the copays and the 20% extra that I have to pay on top of my sons psych visits. Can anyone expound on this for me? I went onto Aflac's site and there "Gap coverage" is extremely specific (hospital confinement coverage, dental etc) . I just want a broad coverage type deal that will work in conjunction with my already decent plan. thanks community for any suggestions or thoughts that you have.
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You can get a supplemental insurance that will cover your cost shares. Call any of the major insurance companies (regence, premera, aetna, cigna, blue cross, etc.)and tell them what you need and they should help you find a policy that works for your specific needs. Good Luck
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I seriously need help with poorness and dental emergency... please read sorry for length?

I haven't seen a dentist since I've been an adult. I'm 25 years old. I just got fired on the 9th. I live with my mom and she makes like $500 a week but isn't responsible for me and doesn't have money for my stupid teeth. I barely even have $30 but my teeth are killing me. Part of one of the back top ones fell out during the summer, but it's actually the one or two on the bottom row that are sooo painful.. I have been up crying not able to sleep. Before it happened once or twice, but this time the pain didn't stop the next day. I don't know what to do. I took like 10 ibuprofen yesterday and it was still killing. My mom gave me some expired antibiotics but I think they helped cuz it hurt less.. but I also smoked a bunch of pot which helped with the pain. I try not to take ibuprofen ever and I try not to smoke pot either but I'm stuck.. I've read through some older questions on here and other places online but thought someone might have a real option for me.. well first the pain.. anything else aside from what I've done? I have toothpaste for sensitive teeth and mouthwash that is natural and has herbs n stuff.. I used the mouth type orajel stuff but I think it made it hurt more.. I tried to rinse it with warm water and salt last night but it hurt horribly!! I used both iodized and sea salt so maybe one of them isn't good for it? please I feel like I'm going crazier.. As for my options as I said I don't barely have $30 I could use since I was just fired.. I checked out the dental student facilities but they require payment up front! and it's only like 1/2 off or so for a student to work on you.. I applied for badgercare, supposedly insurance for poorer people but it didn't let me get any benefits plus there's a waiting list.. Also, I would be willing to pay in payment plans, But since I don't have a job right now will any place let me?? I would prefer if they would try to save any of my teeth if they could.. I have no idea how many are afflicted, if all 4 would need to be taken out.. this is the back 4 on the left side. I already had two, my third to last ones, on the bottom taken out when I was 14, the last time I saw a dentist or doctor.. and it was cuz I was a minor on some poverty thing like badgercare in another city. oh my gosh well thank you for reading all of this wow I'm sorry... I really need help though I already have mental issues to deal with (ocd, anxiety, depression) that I'm trying to get over so this is threatening to bring me back to one of those dark icky places again... lol geez I better stop now...
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If you can't afford the school in your area then the next option would be to see if there is a charity clinic anywhere. None of the medications and things you are trying are going to make things any better. Even if the pain eventually stops it doesn't mean your teeth are better. It just means the nerve has died due to the severity of the infection and you need to see a dentist even more. You need to have root canals and possibly extractions done by a dentist. Decay only continues to get worse and spread. If you have to just go to the emergency room. Some dental offices will let you finance the work and make payments. Just call around and see what can be done. Good luck!
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As a dependent on my mom's health insurance, do I have to be accompanied by her?

My mom is going to put me as a dependent on the new health insurance her company is switching over to. I'm 19, and as I will be covered by dental and such, I wanted to know if I have to be accompanied by my mom to any appointment/evaluation I go to using her health insurance? I'm sure most of you, like myself, would like to go to these appointments alone since I wouldn't want my mom in the room watching me get braces or waiting for the doctor. Is there something I can do to go alone and still "use" her insurance? I still live at home and go to school.
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You can go alone for most things. You do not need her to accompany you for any things. For a small number of things, you need someone, although it does not need to be her, because it is not safe to go drive home alone when they finish.
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How is consent proved (or the lack of it) in dental practice?

I understand that "informed consent" is required for all dental procedures. That is, the dentist shall ensure that the patient is supposed to be informed of the procedures he will perform, the risks and the cost. But in practice, at least for minor procedures, there is rarely a consent form signed. So, when is it considered that the patient gave consent in case a conflict arises? Who takes the risk when this is not done formally or informally with proper information? For example, a patient goes for a regular cleaning and the dentist bills a "full mouth debridement" which has double the cost and is not covered by insurance, without that been clearly explained. Can the patient claim he never gave consent? (and win in court with that argument if he gets to that point) All responses welcome, but please indicate if yours is just an opinion or if you have real knowledge from the dental or legal perspective.
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I sign a consent form prior to all procedures in both my general dentist's and my periodontist's office. All prospective procedures are explained to me in advance. Find another dentist who has decent ethics.
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Cheap/Affordable way to get braces?

I'm a sophomore in college and I really want to get braces. I would prefer to get the invisalign so no one can tell, but at the same time, make my teeth straighter. Since I'm in college, I really don't have the finances available to pay out right. My pa suggested some time of dental insurance but I'm not finding anything. Anyone out there know of a good cheap way to get braces? Do you have a nice dental plan you can tell me about? I found one place that offered "low monthly payments" but there is no way I can afford 222$ a month!
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Here is the dental plan I use. They help with braces, cleanings and everything in between. http://www.dpbrokers.com/17862.dp
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