Gov't employees, it's almost open season - what dental plan do you have? (health insurance, live)

[NicoleJ]

My kids all need/will need ortho. My 14 year needs it yesterday, my 10 and 6 year olds will need it soon.

I know that with the 14 year old we'll have to just deal with it and pay the whole thing ourselves b/c of the standard 2 year waiting period (stupid idea that), but I'm leaning toward either GEHA high option or Metlife PPO High option since both pay 50% of ortho and such high percentages of everything else.

I have been told by several people not to go w/ United Concordia, but if anyone has good stories about them, I'd like to hear them.

[ajzjmsmom]

[quote=NicoleJ;11472735]My kids all need/will need ortho. My 14 year needs it yesterday, my 10 and 6 year olds will need it soon.

I know that with the 14 year old we'll have to just deal with it and pay the whole thing ourselves b/c of the standard 2 year waiting period (stupid idea that), but I'm leaning toward either GEHA high option or Metlife PPO High option since both pay 50% of ortho and such high percentages of everything else.

I have been told by several people not to go w/ United Concordia, but if anyone has good stories about them, I'd like to hear them.[/quote]

We have had United Concordia for the last 2 yrs and have had no problems with them. You just have to make sure you use a provider on their list and it makes it alot easier. United Concordia pays exactly the same as GEHA does as long as you stay in-network. Another added benefit for us especially with my kids dentist was that we had BCBS and it had a few benefits so when you combined the 2 I didn't pay anything out of pocket.

UC customer service is really good, our dentist normally estimates what will be owed instead of calling the insurance and getting the actual amount so I always call UC and get the amount we will be responsible for so that is all I pay, resulting in me not having to worry about paying to much, they never balk about giving me the total and are quick to take care of issues.

You know you can go on opm.gov and compare the plans? GEHA doesn't have very many providers where we live so it isn't really an option for us, however if we move back here I may have to investigate them next year.

Good luck to you, we are trying to decide whether we want to stay with our HMO in NM or go to BCBS basic and which vision plan to pick up. It is tough I have been researching, calling the insurances for the last 2 wks trying to get this all worked out.

[nixau27]

I have Metlife for my dental and never had a problem w/them. My child needed braces as well and the ortho kicks in after 2 yrs (I think);they pay $1500 max. I also have BCBS basic for my health insurance,,,,we hardly go to the dr except for annual check ups,shots and when we're really sick w/c is maybe less than 10 visits a yr. (family of 3). I'm thinking of switching health insurance but BCBS has always worked for us. We move almost every 5 yrs and never had a problem w/it.

[NicoleJ]

Originally Posted by ajzjmsmom

Another added benefit for us especially with my kids dentist was that we had BCBS and it had a few benefits so when you combined the 2 I didn't pay anything out of pocket.

How does that work? We have Aetna whom we like, but I don't think they have a dental plan that's part of the package. We have to get it separate.

You know you can go on opm.gov and compare the plans?

Yeah, I was on there for a good hour and a half last night. I'm going up to my husband's job on the 19th b/c they're having a health fair, so I can ask questions, etc.

[HEATHER72]

I've been talking with a friend who has been having major dental work the past couple of days. Last night he said at least I have good insurance. He thought I had United Concordia, which I did until a couple of years ago. We currently have Aetna, but our dentist is not in their system, so it's a bit more. I can't for the life of me remember why we switched. I will have to ask hubby later. I don't remember any problems with United Concordia except when hubby went from active to retired military, they consider that a new policy and would not pay for my implant.

[rubytue]

Consumer's Checkbook puts out an annual guide comparing all the costs and benefits of all the plans. I believe they include dental. I bought the guide last year (I think its $10) when I was switching plans. It was VERY helpful!

We don't have kids, let alone who need braces, so we just use the FSA for out dental needs. The annual premiums wouldn't offset our savings.

[ajzjmsmom]

Originally Posted by NicoleJ

How does that work? We have Aetna whom we like, but I don't think they have a dental plan that's part of the package. We have to get it separate.




Yeah, I was on there for a good hour and a half last night. I'm going up to my husband's job on the 19th b/c they're having a health fair, so I can ask questions, etc.

For some reason BCBS has a few dental benefits, so when I took my kids to the dentist they were in network for both insurances. They filed with BCBS first since it was primary, whatever it didn't pay they then billed United Concordia. For some reason either between the 2 it completely covered the dentist or the dentist just wrote off what was left. Then last year we did the HMO health insurance that had no dental benefits and I had to pay alittle when we had fillings done on my son. You might also call the different insurances and let them walk you through their benefits.

For us where we are at, United Concordia has the largest network of dentists so that is what we use, my favorite by far was Delta Dental but the feds dropped that in 2005 I think. Good luck with your search.

[Caladium]

Delta dental works well for us.

[rubytue]

Originally Posted by ajzjmsmom

my favorite by far was Delta Dental but the feds dropped that in 2005 I think. Good luck with your search.

2005 was the first year the Fed's had dental. It was the Federal Employee Dental and Vision Benefits Enhancement Act of 2004 that established the benefit.

Originally Posted by Caladium

Delta dental works well for us.

Delta isn't an option for federal workers. The OP specifically asked for Gov't plans - although I guess she didn't specifically say federal...

[ajzjmsmom]

Originally Posted by rubytue

2005 was the first year the Fed's had dental. It was the Federal Employee Dental and Vision Benefits Enhancement Act of 2004 that established the benefit.


Delta isn't an option for federal workers. The OP specifically asked for Gov't plans - although I guess she didn't specifically say federal...

We had delta dental in conjunction with our health plan in 2004 and then in 2005 that health plan was no longer offered. However, I was correct when I said we had it in 2004 and it was dropped in 2005. Maybe it was only offered in conjunction with the HMO we chose, but we did have delta dental. I actually don't think we had access to the feds dental and vision benefits until 2006.