Alberta's NDP government will create a dental fee guide

[GGG]

The fee guide will set the portion insurance will cover. Individual dentists will have to decide if charging above the fee guide cost them more business then they make in increased coverage.

As long as the fee guide is reasonable it should lower dental costs as dentists charge what the fee guide indicates. If too low it will decrease our insured portion of dental care

[GGG]

Originally Posted by InglewoodFan

Currently sitting in the dentist waiting room getting fillings for my two kids. Dental prices are a huge kick in the nuts when you don't have insurance.



Dare to dream the government will have the city put fluoride back in the water. Cavities seem way up since they took it out.

You can self flouridate if you want to. Doesn't help the public but you can mitigate the risk for yourself.

[Fuzz]

I wonder if this will backfire. Dentists will still charge high rates, and insurance companies will decide to only cover up to the fee guide cost. Then we are left on the hook for the rest.

My insurance has already decided to cut back from 6 months to 1 year between visits.

[VladtheImpaler]

How does this impact my plan to have my children go to dental school?

[InglewoodFan]

Originally Posted by GGG

You can self flouridate if you want to. Doesn't help the public but you can mitigate the risk for yourself.

Yep, we're using the $8+ a tube high fluoride toothpaste and it seems to be helping a bit.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I wonder if this will backfire. Dentists will still charge high rates, and insurance companies will decide to only cover up to the fee guide cost. Then we are left on the hook for the rest.

My insurance has already decided to cut back from 6 months to 1 year between visits.

Yeah mine went from every 6 months to every 8 months.

[InglewoodFan]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

How does this impact my plan to have my children go to dental school?

Go for the real brass ring and have them be orthodontists.

[Ozy_Flame]

Why did the city get rid of fluoride in the water again?

[Swift]

Originally Posted by InglewoodFan

Dental prices are a huge kick in the nuts when you don't have insurance.

I don't know how people who don't have insurance can afford it. I brought my son to the dentist this morning. A 10 minute exam cost $103.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Why did the city get rid of fluoride in the water again?

Because by eliminating the added fluoride, Calgary public works will be able to lower the price of water which will stimulate growth in the fluoride toothpaste industry which means better overall market conditions for consumers!

[Nufy]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I wonder if this will backfire. Dentists will still charge high rates, and insurance companies will decide to only cover up to the fee guide cost. Then we are left on the hook for the rest.

My insurance has already decided to cut back from 6 months to 1 year between visits.

Blue Cross has their own fee guide already.

Even with insurance I am out of pocket about 6G's a year for my family.

Just for Dental.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Why did the city get rid of fluoride in the water again?

Whiny ne'erdowell, know nothing helicopter parents.

You should be required to work a certain number of hours per year to be allowed to complain, people who do nothing but complain should be ignored.

[calf]

Originally Posted by Hes

Patients under 19 and over 65 ARE covered by health care.

This is the main distinction between Dental and Eye coverage.

Only your routine eye examination are not covered.

Regardless of how it works, it just seems odd that for the many of us that need routine exams and glasses in order to have basic vision to function day-to-day, that it isn't covered by AHS.

[calf]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Why did the city get rid of fluoride in the water again?

Because forced medication and poison, apparently.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by calf

Regardless of how it works, it just seems odd that for the many of us that need routine exams and glasses in order to have basic vision to function day-to-day, that it isn't covered by AHS.

Yeah, but flat tax.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Why did the city get rid of fluoride in the water again?

Because "chemicals" are scary.

[Wiggum_PI]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Yeah, but flat tax.

I would say it's more of an eliminating health care premiums issue then a flat tax rate issue.

[Knut]

Originally Posted by calf

Regardless of how it works, it just seems odd that for the many of us that need routine exams and glasses in order to have basic vision to function day-to-day, that it isn't covered by AHS.

It is largely due to It being a forgotten part of health care. There were very rarely any increases in what Alberta health care would pay clinics for exam fees. It was to the point, in some provinces, that you needed to see double the amount of patients in a day to match what you made on exam fees 20 years prior (factoring in inflation etc). Quality of care suffered.

Ontario just privatized because there was no OHIP increase since 1987.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by getbak

Because "chemicals" are scary.

The word 'Fluoride' is terrifying, like it belongs on the Periodic Table or something!

The real crime was not re-branding it 'Earth-Friendly, Eco-Sustainable, Carbon Neutral, Happy Healthy Teeth Additive.'

No one would vote to take that away from the children!

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by getbak

Because "chemicals" are scary.

Sounds like religious bull####