Dental negotiations

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Do you negotiate with the dentist to pay cash for your work? If so how? What do you ask? How do you get them to lower the prices?

I think I'm going to pay an outrageous amount and partially it's my fault. I need 2 crowns, possibly a third crown. I also need 2 fillings. I need all of this because I grind my teeth so it wears down my teeth faster and because of the crowns I potentially need a new night guard.

The two crowns will cost $1000, then the extra crown because I used up my plan maximum will cost $900. Then the two fillings another $300, throw in a new night guard another $500. I didn't put it into the health savings account because I didn't expect such a high bill.

We've got great dental coverage but it caps out at $1500 per calendar year. They cover 85%. So I'm maxing it out. They also have a free payment plan for 12 months 0%, which I'm considering because all payments next year I could cover from a health savings account.

I just wonder if it's better to pay cash in full? And if I could get a discount and if those discounts are for people without insurance?

Geez my teeth always cost me a bundle.

[anonymous_saver]

I did not have insurance for almost two years (very scary!).

First of all, most medical and dental offices give you a 5% if you pay on the day of the services if you DON'T have insurance. That being said you would have to pay all of it right away!

Do you know if you would be charged a fee if you went with the 12 months 0% deal? If not, and you know you will use your health spending account next year to pay for this, you should look to make sure you can use those $'s to pay for a dental appt. that happened in the previous year. If that doesn't matter, I would go with ther 12 month deal. Unless you have it all now. I probably would just pay it out of pocket if you do have the money.

Another suggestion, I went to the school of dentistry by my home at a local state university. Everything cost 50% of what other detists quoted me. As long as you are not in immense pain or anything, I would definitely think about going to a school of denistry. Much cheaper. Still quality services, although exams take a bit longer because the students needs to get their work approved by their supervisor.

Good luck. I feel your pain. I was there once as well (root canal and crown out of pocket last year). Ugggghhh!

[Saving in So Cal]

As I had no dental care as a child, I have had to have tons of dental work done as an adult. My dentist has always been able to schedule my work to maximize my insurance benefits. For instance, if I were in your shoes, my dentist would prioritize the work and schedule part of it for this year and part of it early next year when the annual insurance limits reset. That way I would get $3,000 worth of coverage rather than $1,500. Unless you are in substantial pain, this should be doable for you too because some of your work is time consuming and will require multiple visits anyway. Once you know what work is going to be done early next year, you can set up your 2008 HSA accordingly.

[mom-from-missouri]

Do you have to go to that dentist?? Is there a dental school nearby that could do part of the work? We have one in Kansas City that charges a fraction of the price (UMKC). My dad had a filling done there several years ago for $7.