https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:17:37 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-dental-coverage#post-2648376 Sat, 05 Nov 2016 02:33:14 +0000 Miss Ariel 2648376@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: here are the questions is have answered before deciding.</p> <p>Are there waiting periods on the plans? If so, and you switch between plans you may need to wait another 12 months before ortho is available.</p> <p>Is your dentist in-network on both plans? If not, how are out-of-network benefits paid?</p> <p>You said other services are at 80% or 50%, however most plans have class b (basic) and class c (major) services at different coinsurance levels. Are all other benefits actually at 80% or 50% respectively?</p> <p>I'm also assuming your ortho max is 2,000 not 20,000. I'm not sure I've ever seen a plan with more than a 5,000 max, but even that is really rare for ortho. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-dental-coverage#post-2648370 Fri, 04 Nov 2016 23:38:16 +0000 Emsmems 2648370@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do you see your dentist regularly? We have a good relationship with ours so I called ours up to ask if they had an opinion. Turned out I needed to go with the more expensive one because their office was only going to be covered under the "premier" providers (the more expensive plan). May be worth a phone call to them! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-dental-coverage#post-2648367 Fri, 04 Nov 2016 23:34:37 +0000 yellowbird 2648367@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: most of the time if a kid needs braces at 8 years old it will be a phase 1 interceptive treatment, not comprehensive braces. Most of the time insurance will only cover orthodontics once, so if a patient needs two phases the first phase is an out of pocket expense for the family (and phase one is usually considerably cheaper.) </p> <p>Since our family is low risk for cavities I would choose option A. I think that makes sense in your situation as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-dental-coverage#post-2648362 Fri, 04 Nov 2016 22:42:08 +0000 Amorini 2648362@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: I'm also weighing our dental plan options. Like others have said, plan A seems like the most penny-wise choice for your family situation now, but like @dc yoga bee: points out, it's easy to max out benefits and pay a lot with just one adult tooth problem like a crown or root canal and bridge. Putting money in a FSA that rolls over would be smart and a good back-up plan. And like @MamaG: says, the plan B orthodontic coverage is amazing! Last thought: Make sure that plan A doesn't have any waiting periods that would be waived in plan B. Loopholes aka fine print on dental plans can be tricky like that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-dental-coverage#post-2648243 Fri, 04 Nov 2016 16:04:35 +0000 youboots 2648243@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>A you can change plans if a kid needs braces and wait till the next year- I did this when DH needed braces. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-dental-coverage#post-2648196 Fri, 04 Nov 2016 14:30:10 +0000 dc yoga bee 2648196@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't think I'd need major coverage at all this year, and got the cheaper coverage like always. Both federal plans, so good coverage. October 31, and I had some tooth pain. Found out I need $2000 worth of work that cannot wait until the new year. My coverage is 35% vs, the 50% on the high option. UGH! Never again. I wish I had just done the $20 a paycheck! It was $13 more!! Now look! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-dental-coverage#post-2648184 Fri, 04 Nov 2016 14:12:56 +0000 MamaG 2648184@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Definitely plan A. And that's awesome orthodontia coverage. I haven't seen something like that in a long time. Our plans that we have available (both me and DH) are $1,000 lifetime max coverage on orthodontia! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-dental-coverage#post-2648145 Fri, 04 Nov 2016 13:16:16 +0000 caterw 2648145@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would do plan A for sure if you don't think you will need major work done this year! Regarding braces, my parents held me off for almost a year to get them when I was a kid because they realized I needed them a few months we moved and they didn't want to have me go to 2 different dentists with them. My teeth turned out awesome. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-dental-coverage#post-2648095 Fri, 04 Nov 2016 12:07:05 +0000 MaryM 2648095@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: If his teeth look good now, I don't imagine they'd suddenly need braces. I would guess it would take quite a few months for things to shift out of place, and then it's not like it would be a life or death situation of getting braces immediately. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-dental-coverage#post-2648092 Fri, 04 Nov 2016 12:04:52 +0000 Mamaof2 2648092@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sunny: he has 8 adult teeth so far.</p> <p>My step son got braces at 8 so its in the back of my mind!</p> <p>@MaryM: yes, you change it once a year - thats was I was wondering if he should need them would we be able to wait a year? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-dental-coverage#post-2648089 Fri, 04 Nov 2016 12:00:43 +0000 sunny 2648089@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How many adult teeth does your 8 yo have? I thought that orthodontics are pointless until all the adult teeth have grown in, though I'm not a dentist so I can't say for certain. </p> <p>Assuming you have 24 pay periods, plan A is a savings of $450 just in premiums. If I did my math right, you would only be better off with plan B if you had more than $1500 worth of major restorative work. I would go with the cheaper plan if you don't think you have any major restorative work coming up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-dental-coverage#post-2648088 Fri, 04 Nov 2016 11:58:53 +0000 Littlebit7 2648088@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd probably go with A. Its saving you almost 450 (had done my math wrong, i get paid weekly) bucks per year (which you could use if you had to have work done). If it were me I'd probably boost my FSA contribution for next year, because odds are you'll use that FSA money for something (unlike the money that you'd be putting towards option B if you never ended up needing the extra coverage B provides) And you'll have some $$ for dental in the FSA should you need it.. I wouldn't opt for B until I was told by the dentist that your kid will need braces in the near future. I'd just keep asking the dentist for any indication that braces might be required, odds are you can wait 6 months or whatever until open enrollment. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-dental-coverage#post-2648085 Fri, 04 Nov 2016 11:56:41 +0000 looch 2648085@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Plan A! We are making these same kinds of decisions, it's that time of the year! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-dental-coverage#post-2648083 Fri, 04 Nov 2016 11:54:13 +0000 MaryM 2648083@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Needing braces isn't usually an immediate need. Will you be able to change plans next year if your kids needs work? I'd go with the cheaper plan for now, and reassess later. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-dental-coverage#post-2648077 Fri, 04 Nov 2016 11:44:29 +0000 Mamaof2 2648077@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Both plans are $75 individual deductible and $225 family</p> <p>Both plans are 100% covered for preventative.</p> <p>Plan A - 50% after deductible for services (space maintainers, root canal, repair of crown, inlays, onlays, oral surgery)</p> <p>Plan B - 80% after deductible</p> <p>Plan A - covers $1500 year<br /> Plan B- covers $2000 year</p> <p>Plan A - no orthodontia<br /> Plan B - covers 50% up to $20000</p> <p>-------------<br /> Kids are 5 and 8 and my biggest concern is should my 8 year need orthodontia in 2017 - I dont think he will - no mention of anything so far from dentist and his teeth look good to me</p> <p>I have good teeth (1 cavity so far and it was a small one) but I do have a bridge that is about 13 years old.</p> <p>Cost:</p> <p>Plan A is 7.88 per paycheck<br /> Plan B is 26.62 per paycheck</p> <p>WWYD? </p>