Seeking Private Health Insurance with Dental Coverage

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  Trance N Dance on 03/01/2024 - 05:13

  +1

  How much of the dental work is general and how much is major?

  • 

    Fayble1212 on 03/01/2024 - 05:29

    I'd say it is possible two crowns are required, so between $2K - $5K I can imagine.

    General would be just clean, x-rays, so $200-$300

    • 

      Trance N Dance on 03/01/2024 - 06:16

      +4

      Waiting period on major dental will be an issue for you. Not to mention most funds seem to cap out at $1k per year rebate on major dental.

      • 

        Fayble1212 on 03/01/2024 - 06:30

        Ahh I see, so do you think there would be any benefit?

        • 

          avoidfullprice on 03/01/2024 - 08:40

          @Fayble1212: do you need anesthetic?

          Consider getting a no obligation quote from your dentist, which includes itemised lines with their 3 digits ADI code. Then call up any health insurer and get them explain to you if any of their plan will benefit you.

          After one phone call you get a broad idea

• 

  El-Rhi on 03/01/2024 - 06:45

  +2

  I would recommend getting the highest coverage extras, so something like HBF gold extras. Then go see a dentist and understand what’s actually required. While you might think 2 crowns are needed, you might get away with a large filling which would fall under general dental, not major, so you can get it done immediately rather than waiting 12 months. Sometimes you can find plans that will waive the 2 month general wait time.

  Another option is smile.com.au which you pay an annual fee to get a discount on all dental work at participating dentists. If you have private health extras and this, you can increase the discount.

  Hopefully this helps, but whatever you do, don’t delay in getting the dental work done as doing so will likely mean much more work is required down the track.

  • 

    holdenmg on 03/01/2024 - 07:41

    Smile or https://www.dentacare.com.au don't have waiting to qualify.

    • 

      freefall101 on 03/01/2024 - 10:26

      Smile (I've never looked at dentacare) aren't the best price if you shop around. Basically it ensures you don't need to look around much and you won't get screwed over by going in blind, it's not the same as insurance.

• 

  freefall101 on 03/01/2024 - 10:33

  +2

  Everyone has 12 month waiting on major dental, not sure if you'll be able to avoid that. Otherwise people would just sign up, do the dental work needed and cancel again. HIF has $1,500 on their top plan for major dental, which is the best I've seen. But it's expensive, probably just better off paying out of pocket if it's a one off bit of work.

  You could just walk into your dentist and ask them what the best rate they can do. If you know what you need done, look up the codes on what you need doing and ask what the price is. Might be able to save a few hundred that way. Otherwise if it's getting near the $5k level, a trip overseas might be an option.

  I'd also look overseas on getting glasses, just get your prescription (it's free under medicare if you need a new one) and hunt around for good online glasses places. Most insurance policies cap out at $200 (some do $300)

  • 

    Fayble1212 on 03/01/2024 - 10:53

    Love this, thanks! Any suggestions for lenses? The issue with lenses is they need to fit your frames, so I'd imagine I'd need a combo with new frames?

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  sumyungguy on 03/01/2024 - 11:12

  +1

  Some insurers pay an agreed benefit, others pay a percentage of the costs; in both cases up to the annual per-item limits defined in your policy. To do an accurate comparison you need the MBS item numbers for the claims you're intending; e.g 110 Optical Frames, 212 Single vision lenses, 613 Full Crown Non Metallic Indirect. Get the prices from your health providers and ask each insurer what benefit they'll pay, which will depend on the premium level you select.

  • 

    Fayble1212 on 03/01/2024 - 11:29

    Incredible knowledge, thank you very much for your detailed response it helps immensely.

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  Drakesy on 03/01/2024 - 11:50

  At the end of the day the insurers always win. At the rate that premiums are increasing whilst the amount they cover decreases (in line with rising fees charged by dentists/specialists) the financial benefits are becoming questionable.

  The Private health companies really are filling their coffers on the back of lobbyists.

  And the points raised are all valid regarding waiting periods and costs. It's almost more worthwhile taking out the bare minimum hospital and putting the rest in a interest savings account. But yes, i'd look into getting the highest level dental on the shortest waiting period and go from there. Mind you if you have to declare that you have known dental issues the cost could jump substantially.

  • 

    ihbh on 03/01/2024 - 12:04

    At the end of the day the insurers always win, … filing coffers…

    Where is the evidence?

    Nope. Have a look at the share price of some general and health insurers over the last decade or two. Only QBE's share price had a strong rise for a while, the previous decade, the rest pretty much fluctuate around but have had no consistent rise compared to BRK or Apple, for example.

    • 

      Drakesy on 03/01/2024 - 12:06

      Where is the evidence?

      That was easy
      Oh and here

      "Australian private health insurers earned $1.3bn more in surplus from hospital premiums this year compared with two years prior, while returning less money to customers, a new report suggests."

      • 

        ihbh on 03/01/2024 - 12:24

        Thanks.

        1. Don't base stats off 1 year. See attached over last 5 years from ACCC's summary of APRA stats.
        2. Read the reason for 2022 - a turn around in equity investments from a loss previous year to big gain in 2022. The equity investments are unrealised capital gains (which have to be marked to market). It would be silly for the insurers to say return all of this as premium reductions, because if the markets swing the other way the next year, then they are (profanity).
        3. Convert $ into something meaningful. Don't just get carried away with big numbers in isolation. This is for the whole Australian health insurance industry. They average around $1.5bn p.a. but the health insurance industry writes around $25bn in premiums or a net profit after tax margin of around 6%.

        https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/22732/109569/health_in…

        • 

          Drakesy on 03/01/2024 - 14:45

          @ihbh: Most of those numbers just reinforce my point though

          7% of $27 billion is a big number though, for what is, subjectively an exercise that pools together lobbyist gained taxpayer money to subsidise pensioners. Literally provides zero service, oh an the fact that they earn large revenues from "investments" indicates they're definitely not strapped for cash.

          if the private health insurance industry ceased to exist and the money was funnelled into the government health sector Australians would benefit greatly.

          Probably the icing on the cake is their soaring exec pay packets

• 

  ihbh on 03/01/2024 - 11:59

  +3

  Insurance (even extras) doesn't work like this. If it did, insurers would make a loss and have to close down. The fact they are in business means they have measures in place to avoid this kind of hit and run situation.

• 

  AustriaBargain on 03/01/2024 - 14:22

  +2

  You could go to Thailand or Hungary and get your crowns done and treat yourself to even more cosmetic dentistry like veneers or implants if you missing any teeth. You can get it done a lot cheaper overseas in luxury dental hospitals by very experienced dentists.

  • 

    Fayble1212 on 05/01/2024 - 15:42

    This may be the go! No missing teeth, but the way the economy is going i might have to sell some.

  • 

    Trance N Dance on 05/01/2024 - 18:44

    Caveat emptor
    There's a reason why Aussie dentists aren't really afraid of dental tourism. If anything it's giving them more work. The majority of stuff coming out of Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt and Turkey is just bad. That's not to say there isn't good work coming out of there, unfortunately it seems that's a small minority of cases and requires really good research. Even when recommended by family/friends with "connections" the work in these places are very average. The regulations aren't as comprehensive and they know that you're only there for a short period of time and they just pump the work out take you money and know they'll never see you again.

    • 

      AustriaBargain on 05/01/2024 - 19:30

      Well you would go to an elite dental school/hospital over there. You could go to a village in Thailand and get some dental work for a handful of baht, but you'll probably have the dentist's cat sitting on your chest while you do it. I really should do it, I'm missing a molar and every time I ask a dentist about an implant or bridge they give me a price twice what my car is worth…

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  cookie2 on 03/01/2024 - 20:02

  I've found ahm quite good for major dental (higher level) as an extra and cover $200 or $250 annually for glasses which is more than enough for specsavers (or buying frames and lens separately online). Major dental I believe always 12 month waiting period. And I wouldn't get the health insurance for just the $2k of work.

  • 

    sumyungguy on 03/01/2024 - 20:40

    OP is likely eyeing LHC base day, 1 July following their 31st birthday

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  Rako on 04/01/2024 - 13:09

  HCF they have their own dental clinics much cheaper than normal dentists

  • 

    Trance N Dance on 04/01/2024 - 14:29

    HCF also pay one of the lowest rebates.