Starting Medicare (original) in a few days. Looking for dental insurance/dental savings plan

[splunge63]

Any advice is welcome. Have been on MetLife Dental PPO for decades. I'm very lucky, nothing beyond occasional fillings. OTOH, my newly retired spouse has a small fortune in dental work (numerous crowns).

The seemingly good articles I've found do not bear up with reality (the coverage and cost aren't even close to the same when I solicit a quote). Well aware that costs/coverage vary by state, age, gender, but I'm seeing pretty ridiculous disparities.

[leftieNanner]

1. Unfortunately we don't have a dental plan

My insurance guy said that the numbers don't pencil out. This was a few years ago. The monthly premium exceeds what they pay for. There is a two year waiting period for any special services and a huge copay.

We get a discount for paying with a check.

I hope you find something better.

[Lulu KC]

2. I have heard Delta Dental is good

We have something through my husband's former union but when I asked a couple of dentists what they think is good, they both said Delta Dental. I checked the cost and it's about what we are paying.

[LauraInLA]

4. I will say, that we've had Delta Dental for years through my husband's work. It was great for biannual checkups,

X-rays, and fillings. But this year I actually had two root canals and crowns, and we owed about $6000. And apparently this is not uncommon. I’m not sure there is *better* dental insurance out there, but this wasn’t a great experience.

[virgdem]

3. If you are a military retiree, check out BENEFEDS

You have several options to choose from. We just got decent dental/vision coverage for $104/month.

[Silent Type]

5. My experience is that dental insurance doesn't really help us. Insurers know most of us need extensive dental

care. Their premiums reflect that.

Hopefully, Medicare will cover dental someday. Biden had a proposal that would cover $2000 starting in 2028. It failed. Maybe in 2050 when there is a surplus of dentists willing to accept Medicare rates we’ll at least see some subsidies.

Obviously, if your employer covers most of it, it’s worthwhile.

[SheltieLover]

6. Call your senior center & Council on Aging

They will be able to go over plans exact cost & what they cover.

Good luck!

[Auggie]

7. Biggest issue I'd have is who are the doctors and where are they located

First and only dental insurance I had was through an HMO and the nearest dentist in their plan was 45 minutes away.

I lived in San Francisco!

You might be better off just chucking $100 a month into a tax-free mutual fund. That'a a saving plan too!