The constraints of being a Curmudgeon on health and welfare.

Yeah, I'm old but I still have a sense of values.
Maid service is coming this morning so I am up early and trying to clean before they get here and see the ungodly mess they would be paid to clean up.

Quote: Fleastiff

Yeah, I'm old but I still have a sense of values.
Maid service is coming this morning so I am up early and trying to clean before they get here and see the ungodly mess they would be paid to clean up.

My wife always cleans the morning that the housekeeper is coming.

I've recently cottoned to a new technique my dental group* is springing on people to get them to sign up for 'dental plans' that benefit the group and have dubious benefit for the patient.

First they ask you if you have dental insurance even though they should know you don't have it [if you don't] since they know everything else about you from having been their client for years. When you say 'no' they over-react like this is stunning news. This sets the stage for selling their 'plan', which is not insurance.

Having just gone through this again today, I really had to check to see how many people in the US really have dental insurance, as back in the day this seemed like it was unusual to me. According to what I have found on the web, apparently a lot of younger people do have it today - 60% or so. That did surprise me, but it hardly should rate as jaw-dropping to encounter a patient who doesn't have it. Especially someone my age, as further searching indicates for the age 65+ crowd the percentage who have insurance dwindles to 30%, see link.

You have to realize my opinion about insurance in general is that you should not have it for things that you can afford to pay for on your own without taking out a loan. In matters where emergency+high-expense is unlikely, even more so. Possible dental expenses just do not seem to fit the bill for me, even though costs into the thousands of dollars are possible [and I have paid that in the past]. Furthermore, the fine print with any insurance always is there to pounce on you if and when you ever run into 'the big one'. Including the ability to drop you, limit their liability, or raise your rates - I have no idea if the progressive ideas about health insurance opposed to such practices have penetrated dental insurance, but I suspect not. Yet these same progressive ideas crowd out what I might want, which is pure catastrophic coverage without a cent for routine expenses.

Well. So today the dentist puts on some hysterics about 'no insurance', but then presents the dental plan as my savior. The lady who handled the bill for today also went through the same thing, trying to make me feel like an idiot for not wanting something that is nothing more than prepayment with, of course, profit added. All this stuff is just salesmanship.

The prepayment primarily benefits the group, lessening the chance that I might skip out on the bill. Now, to be sure, they feel that if you have something like a plan or insurance, you are less likely to skip routine checkups . Some of the webpages bring this up. This is a benefit for *some* clients, but also for the group.

It may be true that the insurance companies negotiate better prices, I have found that to be true for regular health insurance. The thing is, for expensive procedures, the uninsured patient should negotiate for better prices.

https://www.netquote.com/health-insurance/news/going-without-dental-care

*sadly it seems more appropriate to just call it a group and not 'my dentist'

There are NO dental insurance plans that are worth anything. People who need dental work don't get any real coverage those who don't need it get promises.

Best dental insurance premium is a good tooth brush and a savings account.

and most of those insurance documents don't use the word insurance they say dental plan. there is a legal reason for that. It ain't insurance at all.

It just never ends.

I got this 'create a recovery media' window on my laptop and soon I'm going to go have to buy one of those Flash Drives that I've seen but don't think I've ever used and figure out where the flash drive port is located on my Dell.

I also bought a cheapie coffee maker at the grocery store when I entered the discount aisle. So I pay ten bucks for a coffee maker. White in color by the way since this is Florida and its no use buying a black coffee maker unless you truly enjoy having Boiled Roach coffee. Now I get it home and open up the box, all normal stuff like that but it seems now I need a cup of white vinegar to clean it prior to first use. WHY didn't they put that on the outside of the box so I could have bought white vinegar when I was at the grocery store.

Did buy this humungous knife at Walmart but even though its brand new it won't cut a tomato at all. Bought some kitchen shears there and they didn't last even a week. I think I am learning what they mean by Made in China.

Life is too frustrating to put up with old age!

Quote: odiousgambit

I've recently cottoned to a new technique my dental group* is springing on people to get them to sign up for 'dental plans' that benefit the group and have dubious benefit for the patient.

Unless you know you have a mouth full of problems, most dental costs are usually manageable for anyone who has some savings or credit to dig into, or just makes a fair salary and not already deep in debt.

It usually doesn't compare to what can go wrong with other medical costs. Like my 10k bill for nothing but tests for 2 days. Only ruled out a heart attack. I hate to think if they had found something..

Quote: rxwine

It usually doesn't compare to what can go wrong with other medical costs.

yes, regular medical insurance is completely different as far as risk

if you do run into a big dental bill, it usually is optional whether to do it at all, or at least postponable

Postponing dental work all depends upon how happy you are with out teeth. Lose two or 3 at a time pretty soon your old and have no teeth. Lots of people rack up $10k dental bills for just a few teeth, $50k if you need them all replaced.

Quote: kenarman

Postponing dental work all depends upon how happy you are with out teeth. Lose two or 3 at a time pretty soon your old and have no teeth. Lots of people rack up $10k dental bills for just a few teeth, $50k if you need them all replaced.

Its actually more than just cosmetic or chewing food, poor dental care can often lead to rather expensive cardiac procedures and to problems with pneumonia making lack of dental insurance a cause of higher medical expense that others bear.

Darn it all.
Three days in Florida's heat with no air conditioning in my apartment and it could have all been avoided.
The whole thermostat gets pulled out to expose the battery I kept looking for a tiny little compartment and tried to pull on the thermostat way too gently. I should have simply yanked on the darn thing.
I hate getting too old to function sensibly.