For some retirees, employer-provided dental care insurance coverage ends when they retire. Many people don’t know that Medicare does not cover routine dental care such as cleanings, fillings, tooth extractions, dentures, etc.1Paying for dental care becomes the responsibility of the retiree. When living on a fixed income, an unexpected dental bill can cause financial hardship.
There are actions that you can take to lessen the impact of dental care on your bank account.
In the last several years before you retire without dental care insurance let your dentist know about your plans to retire. That way you can work with your dentist to formulate a plan to take care of any issues while you are still on your company’s dental plan.
This might include having fillings or crowns replaced, whitening teeth, getting new dentures or bridges and a host of other items, including things as routine as having a full set of x-rays immediately prior to retirement.
As most company-provided dental health plans have annual maximum amounts for claims, it is best to start several years in advance of your retirement, so you are able to take full advantage of having the company’s dental plan pay for your dental work.
Check with Medicare Dental Options
When retiring without employer-provided dental care insurance you should look into whether you can get dental coverage through a Medicare Advantage plan, often called a Part C plan. Part C plans can cover items like fitness programs, and vision, hearing and dental services in addition to Medicare Part A (hospital insurance), Medicare Part B (medical insurance) and usually Medicare Part D (drug coverage).2
There are other non-Medicare supplemental dental insurance plans that you can also purchase. Check with your dentist to see if they participate as a member of any of these plans. The National Association of Dental Plans has a list of plans available by state.3 This listing also includes a directory of discount dental plans available in each state. Our Walled Lake Dental office has options.
If you don’t wish to purchase a supplemental dental insurance plan you also have the option of financing dental work through a CareCredit healthcare credit card.6 CareCredit is not accepted by all dentists, so check with your dental provider before applying for this credit card. Some dentists offer their own financing or payment plans and are more than willing to work with you, so make sure to ask
If you are concerned about your ability to pay for dental services, rather than avoiding the dentist, the wiser course of action is to discuss your concerns with your dentist. Your dentist may be able to offer advice and solutions. With many dental problems, prevention is the best course of action. If you ignore problems they often require more costly solutions over time.
Affordable Dental Care in Walled Lake
Our dental clinic in Walled Lake Michigan offers financing as well as affordable dental memberships and has options available. Dr Hechtman has more than 40 years of experience in dentistry and is committed to making dental care as accessible as possible to his patients.
Our dental services include general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry such as dental veneers and dental treatments like implants and dentures. Keeping your smile healthy and oral health in check begins with routine dental checkups. So, call us for a Free dental consultation and find out how we can help take the stress out of affording your dental care!
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1 Dental Services
Link: https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/dental-services
2 How Do Medicare Advantage Plans Work?
Link: https://www.medicare.gov/sign-up-change-plans/types-of-medicare-health-plans/medicare-advantage-plans/how-do-medicare-advantage-plans-work