Dominion Dental Plan (car insurance, home, buying)

[marimarimari]

Hello! I was looking at the different dental plans that I had available for my new federal government job and was thinking of Dominion Dental HMO. I was wondering if anyone had this dental plan previously and what their experience was like. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Carlingtonian]

I have GEHA Dental high option and like it pretty well, though I haven't needed much. I pay nothing for cleanings.

[FCNova]

We have that at my work although I'm not on it as I use my wife's plan. The only complaint I've heard recently was that the plan doesn't cover much towards orthodontics. I've never heard any complaints about coverage related to routine dental care though.

Edit: just want to be clear, my comment was for Dominion, not GEHA.

FYI Dominion used to be called Dentaquest until earlier this year.

[rmm0484]

I can second (or third) a recommendation for GEHA Dental. They cover quite a bit, and have a high annual benefit maximum. GEHA also has a great vision plan, which costs no extra as part of the Dental program, it is part of FEDVIP....

GEHA https://www.gehadental.com/enroll/plan-brochures
The High Option annual benefit maximum for combined Class A, Class B and Class C covered services increased to $25,000
per person.


Blue Cross High Option has a $15,000 benefit maximum...
FEP Blue Dental - Home

I did look at the Dominion Dental plan brochure, and I see absolutely nothing wrong with it. No annual maximum limit, but subject to deductibles. I have had no experience with this plan, and had not heard of it before.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some plans still have a maximum of 1200 or so per year, which is ridiculously low. This was the maximum amount per year when I retired from the government 12 years ago.,

See Delta Dental for Veterans: ($1,500 maximum)
Plan Information | Delta Dental VADIP Dental Program

Delta Dental for Military Retirees is not much better: ($1,300 maximum)
TRICARE: Plan Information: Coverage

Delta Dental for Feds: ($4,000 maximum for high option)
Plan Information | Delta Dental’s Federal Employees Dental Program

[boyd888]

Personally I am not a fan of most dental plans, because really you are just paying for "free" cleanings and getting a discount on any work needed. The same discount you could get by paying cash or buying a dental discount card beforehand. This is especially true of the crappy <$1500 max plans which are a joke. My coworker chipped a tooth and still payed $400 out of pocket despite paying $500 /yr for dental "insurance."

These federal plans with higher maxes do appear to be much better, but you're still paying $600 / yr for them. I guess if you go religiously twice a year they have some value.

[Flamingo13]

Originally Posted by boyd888

Personally I am not a fan of most dental plans, because really you are just paying for "free" cleanings and getting a discount on any work needed. The same discount you could get by paying cash or buying a dental discount card beforehand. This is especially true of the crappy <$1500 max plans which are a joke. My coworker chipped a tooth and still payed $400 out of pocket despite paying $500 /yr for dental "insurance."

These federal plans with higher maxes do appear to be much better, but you're still paying $600 / yr for them. I guess if you go religiously twice a year they have some value.

I tend to agree - the premiums are rather high (IMO) for what they pay for - I'm thinking of dropping dental altogether next year.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by boyd888

Personally I am not a fan of most dental plans, because really you are just paying for "free" cleanings and getting a discount on any work needed. The same discount you could get by paying cash or buying a dental discount card beforehand. This is especially true of the crappy <$1500 max plans which are a joke. My coworker chipped a tooth and still payed $400 out of pocket despite paying $500 /yr for dental "insurance."

These federal plans with higher maxes do appear to be much better, but you're still paying $600 / yr for them. I guess if you go religiously twice a year they have some value.

Interesting. I wonder if all dentists take the dental discount card, though. My fear would be that all of a sudden, I'd need a root canal and be out $3000.

[boyd888]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

Interesting. I wonder if all dentists take the dental discount card, though. My fear would be that all of a sudden, I'd need a root canal and be out $3000.

It's a network of dentists like an HMO. I'm sure most dentists take multiple discount cards just like most offices take different insurances. Here's a comparison that shows the dental card can be cheaper than a crappy insurance plan:

https://www.policygenius.com/blog/de...iscount-plans/

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by boyd888

It's a network of dentists like an HMO. I'm sure most dentists take multiple discount cards just like most offices take different insurances. Here's a comparison that shows the dental card can be cheaper than a crappy insurance plan:

https://www.policygenius.com/blog/de...iscount-plans/

That sounds like an incredible amount of work. That article itself concludes:

• "It’s hard to find a full schedule of benefits or discounts before you make a plan purchase—you’re encouraged to buy first and look at the fine print later.
• Dentists are reluctant to offer price quotes over the phone.
• Price comparison sites restrict access to DIY pricing tools.
• The American Dental Associations’s standard codes and names for dental procedures, which are the best way to make sure you’re comparing apples to apples, are kept out of easy reach of the public."

Insurance isn't that transparent either, but this doesn't sound definitively better.

[spencgr]

Insurance is supposed to insure against calamity and unforeseen extreme situations. It pains me to see how we now have come to assume that "insurance" should cover regular maintenance and check-ups.

Next, will we be demanding that our car insurance covers oil changes and our home insurance covers gutter cleanings?


Oh but I digress.....

My dental "insurance" (for both hubby and myself) costs about $300/year....We've never paid for a cleaning and I didn't pay a cent to have four wisdom teeth removed. I don't wok for the gov't.