Bah, humbug

[unixronin]

First off, we already knew we did not have separate full dental coverage.

The good news:  It actually turns out that we do have preventive-care dental coverage from Harvard Pilgrim, for the girls up to age 12.  Two visits per year are covered, including examinations, cleaning, X-rays and fluoride treatments, as long as we use a contracted in-network provider.

The bad news:  Guess how many contracted, in-network pediatric dentists there are in southern New Hampshire.

If you guessed "zero", you're correct.  The closest one is in Chelmsford, Massachusetts.  Want to try for general dentistry now?

...Yup.  Zero again.

So, we have preventive-care dental coverage for the girls -- on paper... and that, plus 99¢, will get you a cup of bad coffee at Starbucks.

But wait!  The bullshit gets deeper.  Medically necessary extractions are covered, with the same in-network proviso ... but only for either impacted wisdom teeth, or if extraction is necessary because of an injury whcih damaged a tooth, and the damaged tooth subsequently became infected, and the extraction is performed within 72 hours of the injury, and if it's performed by an oral surgeon, not a dentist.  72 hours?  You may not even know you have a problem within 72 hours of damaging a tooth, let alone be able to get it extracted.

Why is all this suddenly topical?  Because we've just discovered that Wen the Eternally Surprised has a badly infected tooth that needs to come out.  NOW.  But it wasn't, to our knowledge, caused by an injury, and certainly not within the last 72 hours (48 hours, actually, since her extraction appointment is tomorrow).  So, emergency or not, it's not covered.

So, to all practical purposes, whenwe thought we had no dental coverage at all, we were right after all.  The print on the paper may make it look like we do, but in the real world it's purely theoretical coverage with no practical use whatsoever.

Comments

[gdmusumeci.livejournal.com]

Many plans have an exception that lets you go to an out-of-network provider if there are none within a reasonable travelling distance. Perhaps you might inquire about that...?

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

cymrullewes suggested looking into that. Just haven't gotten to it yet.

[cymrullewes.livejournal.com]

There is a 50 mile rule. Unfortnately, because we like the dentist in Bedford, Chelmsford has one and Chelmsford, MA is only 40 miles away.

[ehintz.livejournal.com]

Typical. Coverage with loopholes everywhere benefiting the company. Meh.

[fatcook.livejournal.com]

Check to see if the county is an in-network provider. Sometimes the county acts as one.

Good Luck.

[nephthys510.livejournal.com]

dental and vision insurance usually suck dick.

I'm sorry there is no one closer to you.

Is there a local dental school? They take patients.

[novel-tharkun.livejournal.com]

What!? Of course it was injury-caused. I distinctly remember talking to you about the car that scared her when she was playing and two idiots almost had a head-on collision. Are you just now telling me that she was hurt when she fell on the sprinkler?

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Nice try, but I don't think it'd fly. :)

[olafthunderfoot.livejournal.com]

that sux arse!!!!

~hands you a pair of needle nose pliers~