Just got the price for a crown at my dentist

[MOMFUDSKI]

and it is $1500. With my Advantage Plan it will cost me $0.00! They now cover one crown/year. My cleaning and X-rays were no charge today. 2 cleanings per year are free. And I could’ve had the fluoride treatment no charge but opted out of that. How about them apples?

[Walleye]

1. That's great, excellent.

[Native]

2. I can't wait until Medicare covers dental and hearing.

[enough]

4. Our Medicare Advantage plan covers dental and hearing.

[Native]

5. So do many of the sdvantage plans here, but the medical sucks.

[MOMFUDSKI]

9. My docs are great.

Had herniated disc surgery from best Ortho joint in the County which cost $88,000 and I paid $88 copay at the hospital. And $25 copay at the Orthro Surgeon office. MRI was $50. I am satisfied with my Plan.

[Native]

11. That's awesome!

[usonian]

6. Bernie tried to include it in a bill that passed.

Thanks for trying!

(GOTV!)

[MOMFUDSKI]

10. Medicare could easily create a Plan just like Advantage.

Don't understand why they don't just do that. Joe has been working on drug costs but there is a long way to go yet. Pharma lobby of course. It is always about MONEY.

[usonian]

12. Advantage plans are actually a rip-off. There are articles.

Take public health money and put lump-sum into private corporations, who are somewhat free to play by their own rules.

Lots of stories of services denied, and unfortunately, lots of stories of computerized (yes, AI) decisions being made with no human input and no effective appeal path.

It would take time to look these up.

I am pretty sure that the idea was a compromise or ransom demand to basically privatize medicare one step at a time.

Be glad of good service.

I wish you well.

[unc70]

13. Lots of supposed stories, but Med Advantage gets good reviews

I'm sure there are bad Medicare advantage plans out there. But that is not my experience. I have been on various $0 premium plans for the past nine years. Those plans have gotten incrementally better over the years. My current plan includes the Duke and UNC health systems among many others in network. Things like dental including crowns, plus the "fluff" like Silver Sneakers. These plans are among the highest rated in the annual CMS reviews.

If I get sick and unlucky, I might have to spend $4-6k in a year, roughly the same amount that friends pay for similar supplemental and drug coverage every year.

[usonian]

14. I don't argue with success! Just playing devil's advocate (or angel's advocate)

to put things in perspective.

A lot of people say it's a backdoor to privatize medicare. So, I'll just drop off a few links, which you are most welcome to ignore. (If it ain't broke .... )

I actually qualify for VA care, but live 50 miles from the nearest center.
If I had known earlier .... There are no advantage plans available in my little corner of the world.

Common Dreams
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2021/09/08/medicare-advantage-profit-scam-time-end-it

The Atlantic
https://archive.is/bfMlR

The American Prospect
https://archive.is/PjN8h

Newsweek
https://www.newsweek.com/how-medicare-advantage-scams-seniors-opinion-1759368

Consumer Reports (a comparison)
https://www.consumerreports.org/money/health-insurance/pros-and-cons-of-medicare-advantage-a6834167849/

[underpants]

3. Excellent

I ended up paying $1,700 out of pocket for mine - after insurance. Yeah only one crown a year.

[a kennedy]

7. My 6 month dental check up was $275.00, cleaning, four x-rays, and a 5 minute Dentist check.

No insurance coverage.

[sanatanadharma]

8. Root canal and cap cost me (maybe) $200 US

There are better ways.
In Uruguay. My 'health insurance' is about $80 a month.
A combined colonoscopy and endoscopy with anesthesia was under $100.

I can make appointments and pay for them online.
A visit to my primary care physician is $15; no one-physical a year limits, as in my Stateside experience.