Minnesota mom recommends dental savings plans after saving thousands on son's work
CIRCLE PINES, Minn. -- An estimated 76.5 million Americans do not have dental insurance. And of those over 65, half have no coverage. Among those who do, there are yearly and even procedure spending caps.
Dental savings plans offer affordable solutions for the under and uninsured, including one Circle Pines mother who used a dental savings plan to save thousands on treatment.
Christine Beaupre's special needs son has needed an extensive amount of dental work. Medicare and state medical assistance couldn't cover the cost of repairs and maintenance on his teeth.
"He's gone through a lot in his young life," Beaupre said.
Four years ago when Beaupre's son turned 25, the two of them made a tough decision -- to pull his teeth for his safety and quality of life. That's when she started getting quotes upwards of $65,000.
Eventually, she found a reasonable quote of $10,000 at Aspen Dental in Coon Rapids. There she was handed a pamphlet for an online marketplace for dental savings plans.
"Think of this like a Costco membership where you pay this annual membership fee to access discounts," Jenn Stoll, of DentalPlans.com, said.
For between $80 to $200 dollars a year, you get discounts ranging from 10% to 60%. Instead of paying a portion of your dental bills like insurance, dental savings plans negotiate the price down.
"It went from $10,000 to $4,400," Beaupre said.
Other differences between a dental savings plan and dental insurance include:
- No yearly maximum or deductibles
- No need to fill out claim forms or get services pre-authorized
- No limitations for pre-existing conditions
- Coverage can't be denied
- There are no waiting periods
Most dental insurance plans have a median cap of $1,500, meaning you'll still pay a lot out of pocket if you need extensive work like Beaupreau's son, with or without dental insurance.
"You can actually use a dental savings plan alongside a dental insurance plan, if you have dental insurance, and have reached that annual maximum or that cap as a supplement once you hit that cap," Stoll said.
Beaupre is thankful for the dental officer worker who introduced her to dental savings plans, and wants others to know about the money-saving hack.
"Even if you have great dental insurance save some money," she said. "This has been a lifesaver for him and a lifesaver for us."
Among the other pieces of advice, look for plans that include your current dentist; you may need to choose a new dentist. Check the number of dentists participating near where you live. And if you are in a rural area, you may not have as many options.