Anyone here who is self-employed and buying their own health insurance? Or have had kids w/ braces?

[GreenPartyVoter]

I'm going to have to leave medicaid and I have no idea how to find reasonable health insurance. Anthem is the major provider in this area. In fact it just about has a stranglehold so we may not have much of a choice.

Also, anyone have experience with dental insurance costs? I have a kid who desperately needs braces. Or is it cheaper to go without insurance and just pay for the braces?

[Baalath]

1. I just sold my business so I have been buying my own

Braces and dental insurance usually don't mix very well. Maybe other people have had better luck, but I never found a policy that would cover them and be worth the money. I paid all my dental out of pocket and I paid cash at time of service. (other than braces, it is set up automatically as a payment plan because so few have insurance that cover it)

For health insurance you need to find some group to join to help with the cost. COSE or something like that. That's what I did. While I know they aren't popular with everyone, and HSA helped me a lot.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Hmm. Thx for the info. Not having the dental insurance might be easier on us by the sound of things

[SheilaT]

3. I suspect that most

dental insurance plans are going to consider braces optional, so they won't be covered. You'll need to do a lot of research there.

Go and talk to the orthodontists, but in my experience they all have payment plans which spread the payment over the two years braces are generally worn. We were able to use the money set-aside to pay for our kids' braces, which was quite nice.

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. Did you sort of have a braces bank account?

[SheilaT]

6. No. It was that cafeteria plan thing

where you put aside a certain amount of money to then be used for otherwise uncovered medical expenses. Forget what it's called. What's nice is that the money set aside isn't taxed. The down side is that if you don't use up all of the set aside money, you lose it.

[riderinthestorm]

5. Try dental schools. I don't have any experience with them but other DUers say they're fine. nt

[Liberal_in_LA]

7. I had wore braces until recently. Not sure the cost without insurance...

that's usually hidden from the patient with insurance. even with super good dental insurance I paid maybe $2000 out of pocket but that included the prework - fillings and such. Upfront they'll have you take your kid to a regular dentist and get everything needed done...regular dentist has to sign off before braces put on. Then I paid maybe $500 to start, then $200 a month after that. But maybe you can find a cheaper deal.. I didn't compare much. Actually my insurance rep thought I was paying too much.

on edit.. My clear braces were more expensive than the metal mouth type that kids wear.