If you are getting ready to go on Medicare and struggling to familiarize yourself with all the deadline and terms, fear not when it comes to dental coverage. This is very easy to learn and retain: there is zero coverage.
Nada. Nope, not even a checkup. No cleanings and definitely no implants or dentures.
Original Medicare Parts A & B, known as Government Medicare, don’t have and have never had any provision for dental coverage. You may have seen ads from private Medicare Advantage plans that do offer various dental benefits. The plan benefits you see advertised on TV and in your mailbox are dependent on the insurance plans available in your ZIP code. Plans change annually.
If you have a Medicare Supplement plan, you can purchase your own stand-alone dental plan. Some plans have vision and hearing benefits tacked on to their dental plan, too. For someone turning age 65, a separate dental plan costs about $35 to $45 per month. It’s not great coverage. There, I said it. What people want isn’t available for sale.
Everyone wants first-day, first-dollar coverage and all the most expensive procedures covered. What you’ll find is that most plans have a deductible and then a waiting period for the big-ticket items. Many offer cleanings first day, but some plans have a waiting period for any services. This is because many people like to buy insurance when they need a tooth extracted, then cancel as soon as they’ve had the procedure.
That isn’t how insurance works. We need a lot of people paying in a little each month to cover the unexpected claims of a few people. If only the people who have a claim purchased insurance, it would cost the same as paying for the procedure out of pocket.
I’ve sold as much dental insurance as I’ve dissuaded people against buying it. If you go to the dentist twice a year and are very conscientious about your dental care, I recommend you buy a plan (keeping in mind it’s good, not great, coverage.) As you age and your teeth typically worsen, you’ll be past the waiting period for major procedures. But if you don’t go regularly, I’ve found that you are not likely to keep your coverage. Save the $40 per month in a separate account and let that accrue as your dental pot of money.
Most people hate the dentist and then end up hating dental insurance, too. Stand-alone insurance helps some, but it isn’t the broad coverage most people are looking for.
Sylvia Gordon is co-founder of The Medicare Family, headquartered in Noblesville, where she educates thousands on Medicare and Social Security in all 50 states. You can learn more at TheMedicareFamily.com.