N1cky

Anyone know if you are allowed to have 2 Dental Insurance Plans? As my daughter needs this complex jaw adjustment brace thing it is obviously going to be quite expensive. We have the top plan with hubby's company, they pay a max of $1,500.

If I take out a policy through my work, can we then also use the $1,500 from that policy towards the same treatment?

Thanks

fatbrit

Generally no.

Look at a weekend trip to Mexico. Half the price, dentists trained in the US.

SanDiegogirl

When both my husband and I were working and each had medical insurance through our relevant companies, we also had dental insurance under both policies.

In addition to us being covered by our own policies, I was covered under my husband's policy and he under mine. Like yours they both had a limit of $1,500

When I went to the dentist, my insurance would pay its share of the bill and then I would present the remainder of the bill (together with the EOB from my insurance company) to my husband's insurance and they would pay the remainder.

However, we had to have medical insurance on both policies to take out dental insurance.

If your daughter is covered for medical and dental insurance with your husband's company, then you need to check to see if you can take out ONLY dental insurance with your company. I think you will find that you cannot.

If your daughter is currently covered for both medical and dental with your and your husband's policies, then I don't see why it should not work the same for you as it did for me.

You can but ask your insurance company

Michael

I think both plans will cover the costs but you will need to check with the administrator of the plans. You could also check if either employer offers a FSA plan so that there will be tax savings.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexible_spending_account

N1cky

I forgot about the FSA plans, that's probably the best option. Thanks Michael

Moonshadow_Girl

I would also suggest checking with your dentist and both employers. My employer offers dental coverage for my spouse (and dependents if I had any) at no cost and independent of health coverage for my spouse (he has his own through his job). My husband's employer only offers dental for himself. So, it's a win-win situation for my husband at least since our dentist office accepts both insurance coverages. I think the dentist office generally uses one coverage for his procedures and the other covers the co-payment of the first.

AmerLisa

Yes you can....

Hubby has his and I have mine and the dentist bills them both. However, whoever has the earliest birthday, their insurance becomes primary (or this is how it works in WA.) So they will bill the lion's share to that insurance and make up the rest to the other.

Also, some things are not covered, or covered very minimally. If you look at your plan you will find more explanation. The dentist wanted my husband to have a mouth guard (they say he grinds his teeth, I can tell them for free he doesn't....) but neither insurance would cover it.

Bob

Depending on what needs doing, your dentist might also be able to bill certain procedures as a medical rather than a dental procedure so it can get paid by the medical insurance, such as impacted wisdom teeth.

Brace alone probably won't count, but some of the work might well be, so worth asking about that.

Oregon4now

More like 1/4 of the price based on my own experience.

$ 32k estimate for 4 implants and 3 root canals 2 extractions (L.A )

$ 8K for all the above work including hotel & private car ( Chapultepec D.F )
took a total of 8 days between procedures and had wonderful care as well as a wonderful time in between, virtually painless !

http://mexico.usembassy.gov/eng/eacs_doctors.html

This is a wonderful list of top notch Dentist & Doctors used by Embassy staff
I highly suggest using a list such as this if having any type of procedure done in Mexico.... BTW most Mexican Dentist accept American Dental insurance Plans, Great way to stretch your $$$$$$$ and you can get a wee vacation out of it.

N1cky

Maybe if it was for myself, but I won't be taking my 8 year old daughter to Mexico for treatment. Especially when she has to go for the appliance adjusting every 6 weeks.

Oregon4now

I Understand completely

Mummy in the foothills

That sounds like a wonderful option. I must remember that in case we are in need of big dental work.

jackattack

Remember to use the FSA as your last option, after you have checked out both dental insurance companies. The money in your FSA is your own hard-earned $ rather than insurance money, it just comes out of your paycheck pre-tax.

Bob

yeah, but if you don't use that FSA money, you're pissing it down the toilet as you lose it.