health insurance

We don't have either coverage. DW has had some major issues over the years with her teeth and we've always paid cash. If I didn't make her let me buy her new glasses every couple of years she'd still be wearing the one's she bought ten years ago.

Check VSP for eye insurance. http://www.vsp.com

If you have a Shopko store... you get 30 percent off eye glasses with
AARP card. For dental, we're on our own.
Brian

Orcadrvr wrote:
I agree with the poster above: Dental insurance seems to be a pretty marginal product. High deductibles, and low maximum benefits are a very poor combination.
I think doctors and dentists would be happy to take cash if you spoke to them up front.

x2 on dental insurance. When I was employed we had it only because the premium was highly subsidized by the company. When we retired, our dentist gives us a sizeable cash discount since we have no insurance and pay at the appointment. Dental seldom covers much on crowns or implants, and regular cleanings and normal fillings are pretty inexpensive. Even when we had insurance and I needed crowns and in one case in implant, the insurance covered nothing on the implant and maybe 20% on a crown.

Vision coverage is also hit a miss in my mind. Regular health insurance often covers an annual eye medical exam. And many vision plans have a pretty low allowance for glasses/contacts so you still have out of pocket.

Even though DW has glasses and I must use contacts for vision correction, not correctable with glasses, we still don't go with any vision coverage, doesn't pencil out.

One thing you can do if you have no dental insurance is ask your dentist about a discount. We did, and we got the rates our old insurance company used to pay. It was a win for us because we pay less, a win for her because she gets her money immediately instead of having to process a lot of paperwork and wait for ir.

There are some vision and dental plans advertised.. I can not tell you much about 'em.. I have State of Michigan Blue Cross, which includes vision, and a Dental plan (I think Delta) as well.

Neither plan is all that good though.. Some of the advertised plans are better.

Thankfully I have State of Michigan Blue Cross (This is really the state providing my insurance, Blue Cross is only a "Clearing house/administrator" for the state, I am retired state employee)

I spent a bit of time in the body shop (Hospital) a couple months ago, a little over 40,000 and that's JUST the room and board.. It does not count doctors.

MAN am I glad I had insurance.

We priced dental. At our age it was going to be too expensive compared to what it covered. There was also going to be an issue about finding dentists out of state. What we expect to pay out of pocket is less than the premiums. Maybe we are right, maybe wrong. That's the gamble the insurance companies make on you, too.