I estimate that these shoes will end up costing me approximately $6,000. As of next Wednesday, I'll be around $3,000 out of pocket for dental work, with another $3,000 or so to follow over the next 2 years. Hopefully, that will be the end of it although I'm guessing that there'll be some (not cheap) cosmetic maintenance for the rest of my life. That big smile you see in this pic doesn't exist any more. For the second time, I'll have braces, although this time around, I'm opting for the clear ones. After that, I get a cap on one of my teeth. My goal is to be able to eat ribs again some day, but eating crusty bread without pain would be a good start.
Lesson - don't wear girly shoes, and if you do, don't fall off the porch in them and land on your face!
By the way, I bought those shoes for $25 (down from $90) at the Nordstrom Rack store about 10 years ago and have only worn them a handful of times. They weren't a bargain in the end. The second part of the title - if I had American dental care, it would have covered ... every... last... cent!
7 comments:
As a person who grew up in a family that declared bankruptcy twice due to medical debt, I have to argue that the Australian healthcare system is about basquillion times better than the American one. (considering a dr. visit here WITHOUT insurance costs about the same as your co-pay WITH insurance in the US) Dental just doesn't happen to be covered on medicare. But I have heard that it will be, very soon and what a beautiful thing that will be when everything is practically free!
You're right. The dental side of things sucks. This is why I object to contact sports and people who say 'boys will be boys'. You pay their bloody dental bills when they knock each others' teeth out then!!!!
Seriously though, hope the pain (both physical and financial) is not too bad.....
Yeah, there's a lot to be said about what's great about the USA, but some of what's available to many isn't available to all for various reasons. Had you taken that fall here in the USA, you may have ended up paying a similar amount if you weren't among those with dental coverage. I don't have it. I think the fact that we have so many millions without basic health insurance is a crime also, and sadly, it doesn't look likely to be 'fixed' anytime soon.
emseedubya..nothing there is 'free' as your taxes pay for it, it's just available to all.
By the way, what happened to those shoes?
From my experience with dental coverage in the US not everything is covered. I haven't had a lot of work done, but I know that I paid well over 500 bucks for a crown. I would hate to think what it would have cost if I hadn't had really good coverage!
Maya, that crown would have cost you about $1500. I imagine you had some type of PPO dental insurance, as if you'd had HMO, you wouldn't have had to pay the $500.
Mom, I still have those shoes - but haven't worn them since.
More on my thoughts about people who don't have health insurance in the US soon...
Suzer - IF you had health care. IF. After I left home I never had health insurance until I moved to the UK. That wasn't because I was a dead beat it was because my employers wouldn't provide it and I couldn't afford it on the wages they were paying me. I'll take the Australian system where I have to pay for dental but not for doctor's visits or hospital care any day.
Also, many many American insurance policies don't include dental.
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