[Mr Medved]

Dental cover is something you need to really, REALLY need to read fine print with. I have hospital cover, didn't bother with extras because of such a scenario... that was even knowing that I needed to spend 15k in dental work.

Small tip - if you know you need to have a lot of money spent on dental work then do it in the one financial year. There is a medical tax offset so you can claim back 20% after the first ~2k. I received about 3k back which is not a drop in the ocean... except for maybe Tor.

[Solomon]

Mr Medved, on 12 December 2011 - 06:52 PM, said:

Small tip - if you know you need to have a lot of money spent on dental work then do it in the one financial year. There is a medical tax offset so you can claim back 20% after the first ~2k. I received about 3k back which is not a drop in the ocean... except for maybe Tor.

That's a good tip Mr Medved.
Thanks.
I remember we did that one other year, when our student daughter had to have her wisdom teeth removed.
Again the same issue, so I have history with this matter.

Quote

The question really is: "Are you talking about action or are you taking action?"

Thanks for clarifying that Syd3.
I thought for a while there you were suggesting I should just hop off this mortal coil.
On here, I'm definitely only talking about action.
I guess my initial rant was to just get it off my chest, and feeling totally inadequate against the might of the health insurance companies.
Perhaps an alternative motive, was to solicit some different perspectives on my situation and to tap the combined wisdom of others.

What I do in the real world is the part about taking action.
Do I change health funds? (BUPA/Medical Benefits refund is $900) Premiums are about the same.
Do I write to members of the Board expressing my concern? (Will that do any good)
Do I lobby government ministers, hoping that someone actually does something about the disparity? (I doubt that - I actually tried that with my daughter's case, and received a nice letter back from some bureaucrat, who explained that the minister was unable to intervene in individual cases, regarding corporate decisions. They suggested I take it up with the Medibank Private executive.
Do I change doctors and get a second opinion? This is the Medibank approved physician!!!
Do I change my cover? We would need to wait 12 months for a pre-existing condition to be covered. The maximum cover Medibank Private provides for this particular procedure is $450 at the highest cover. My premium would increase by $20 per month?

Lots of possibilities there.
Knowing my previous attempts at changing the system by active protest, I'll probably just suck it up.

[cobran20]

Mr Medved, on 12 December 2011 - 06:52 PM, said:

Dental cover is something you need to really, REALLY need to read fine print with. I have hospital cover, didn't bother with extras because of such a scenario... that was even knowing that I needed to spend 15k in dental work.

Small tip - if you know you need to have a lot of money spent on dental work then do it in the one financial year. There is a medical tax offset so you can claim back 20% after the first ~2k. I received about 3k back which is not a drop in the ocean... except for maybe Tor.

You also need a letter from the dentist for the ATO, stating that the dental work is not for cosmetic purposes, in case they ever audit you.

[tom]

Sol,

Just a suggestion and it is probably a long shot anyway...

Ask the question; where do they suggest you have it done? Most health funds have certain doctors / health providers that work on special rates for them, for example medibank (who I am no with too!) usually has no gap aneasthetists to choose from even on my $250.00 odd a month cover. If you go to any other aneasthetist depending on the procedure it can run to hundreds or thousands after the gap.

Final suggestion if you cannot get medibank over the line treat your missus to a trip to thailand or better still eastern europe like the cr and get it done there. My mum had a filling fall out while she was in Prague and after they warned her being a non citizen it would cost her, they charged her $8.50 or so. Clearly this approach would require a bit of homework but if you are going to spend $3500.00 might as well get a holiday out of it.

[cobran20]

tom, on 13 December 2011 - 03:18 AM, said:

Sol,

Just a suggestion and it is probably a long shot anyway...

Ask the question; where do they suggest you have it done? Most health funds have certain doctors / health providers that work on special rates for them, for example medibank (who I am no with too!) usually has no gap aneasthetists to choose from even on my $250.00 odd a month cover. If you go to any other aneasthetist depending on the procedure it can run to hundreds or thousands after the gap.

Final suggestion if you cannot get medibank over the line treat your missus to a trip to thailand or better still eastern europe like the cr and get it done there. My mum had a filling fall out while she was in Prague and after they warned her being a non citizen it would cost her, they charged her $8.50 or so. Clearly this approach would require a bit of homework but if you are going to spend $3500.00 might as well get a holiday out of it.

Malaysia is another 'cheap' destination. You need to ensure that you go to a reputable place though, preferable with western trained practicioners.

[zaph]

tom, on 13 December 2011 - 03:18 AM, said:

Sol,

Just a suggestion and it is probably a long shot anyway...

Ask the question; where do they suggest you have it done? Most health funds have certain doctors / health providers that work on special rates for them, for example medibank (who I am no with too!) usually has no gap aneasthetists to choose from even on my $250.00 odd a month cover. If you go to any other aneasthetist depending on the procedure it can run to hundreds or thousands after the gap.

Final suggestion if you cannot get medibank over the line treat your missus to a trip to thailand or better still eastern europe like the cr and get it done there. My mum had a filling fall out while she was in Prague and after they warned her being a non citizen it would cost her, they charged her $8.50 or so. Clearly this approach would require a bit of homework but if you are going to spend $3500.00 might as well get a holiday out of it.

i have a colleague who has had quite bit of dental work done, over a few trips in Thailand and is very happy.

[Turkey]

zaph, on 13 December 2011 - 04:57 AM, said:

i have a colleague who has had quite bit of dental work done, over a few trips in Thailand and is very happy.

I've seen people come back from Thailand with big shiny smiles before, but I didn't realise it was due to the dental work!

[Ruffian]

cobran20, on 13 December 2011 - 03:58 AM, said:

Malaysia is another 'cheap' destination. You need to ensure that you go to a reputable place though, preferable with western trained practicioners.

Dear God, would not recommend this as a viable option. They are still coming to us for help in this area.

[tor]

zaph, on 13 December 2011 - 04:57 AM, said:

i have a colleague who has had quite bit of dental work done, over a few trips in Thailand and is very happy.

My mum had her teeth done in thailand (complete replacement of all teeth) while she was teaching there. They all fell out and she came back to Aus to have them done again.

[zaph]

tor, on 13 December 2011 - 07:21 AM, said:

My mum had her teeth done in thailand (complete replacement of all teeth) while she was teaching there. They all fell out and she came back to Aus to have them done again.

well the colleague did wake up fondling his new acquired perky 18yr old breasts - I'm not quite sure he understood the two for one offer.

but seriously he swears by it. but has a thai partner, so i guess that helps.

[Solomon]

Thanks guys for your comments, and for listening.
I've calmed down considerably since yesterday.
We are examining a number of options - none of which include taking a holiday to Thailand or Malaysia.
Remember, its my wife's tooth, so I have to take into account her opinions as well.
She is going back to the dentist to determine whether there are some other short term measures we can consider.
We'll take it from there.

I haven't given up the fight, if that's what you're thinking, but I do think it requires a more clear head, and a calmer disposition to get any satisfaction. I don't want them to write me off as a nutter.
Medibank Private haven't heard the last of it, but it will be a considered response, rather than an emotional one.

[zaph]

Solomon, on 13 December 2011 - 07:40 AM, said:

Thanks guys for your comments, and for listening.
I've calmed down considerably since yesterday.
We are examining a number of options - none of which include taking a holiday to Thailand or Malaysia.
Remember, its my wife's tooth, so I have to take into account her opinions as well.
She is going back to the dentist to determine whether there are some other short term measures we can consider.
We'll take it from there.

I haven't given up the fight, if that's what you're thinking, but I do think it requires a more clear head, and a calmer disposition to get any satisfaction. I don't want them to write me off as a nutter.
Medibank Private haven't heard the last of it, but it will be a considered response, rather than an emotional one.

so that wasn't you i saw on the news with a bomb hidden in his turban outside the mbf office? i thought it was a little strange that an indian would have read hair.

[Mr Medved]

cobran20, on 13 December 2011 - 01:18 AM, said:

You also need a letter from the dentist for the ATO, stating that the dental work is not for cosmetic purposes, in case they ever audit you.

I have an itemised statement, if the ATO want more they can ask the dentist themselves. Fair point though, the tax offset is not for cosmetic dentristy/surgery.

Just one other point about the offset, you can bundle up the expenses of the whole family into one, so check your whole family in for the financial year.

SE Asia is really only an option if you have local knowledge... without it the quality may be hit and miss. I considered it given we spent ~15k but I figured I'd play it safe and get it done locally.

[cobran20]

Ruffian, on 13 December 2011 - 07:02 AM, said:

Dear God, would not recommend this as a viable option. They are still coming to us for help in this area.

It's like tor's mum's experience - you need to check the quality of the dentist/hospital etc. Otherwise you get what you paid for. I noticed that in Bali, they were advertising a dental implant done in 1 day, for only $1200. Considering such procedure takes weeks/months in between each step, it would be a complete waste of $1200.