Retirees Encouraged To “Insure Adequately Or Save More.”

Investopedia provides tips to help retirees manage their healthcare costs, recommending, for example, that retirees “insure adequately or save more.” The article states that dental costs can be a “large health expense during retirement,” and “obtaining coverage in advance of anticipated dental needs is wise.”

Op-Ed: Dental Care Must Be Included As An Essential Benefit For Adults

In an opinion piece in the Washington Post, Dr. Donald L. Chi, a pediatric dentist and associate professor at the University of Washington School of Dentistry, states that in order to help ensure “everyone has a chance at good oral health,” dental care must be “recognized as an essential benefit.” Dr. Chi states that this would involve “including comprehensive dental coverage in Medicaid and the ACA as well as in Medicare (where it is excluded).” Doing so would help undeserved adults receive needed dental care, and although this would require funding, it would “also be an investment” since “fewer emergency room visits would result in cost savings,” writes Dr. Chi. In addition, Dr. Chi says adults with good oral health would experience “less suffering” and would be more apt to find employment “without the fear of appearance-related discrimination.”

Medicare Advantage Plans Often Include Dental Coverage

The Motley Fool includes dental care among its list of “surprising things Medicare doesn’t cover.” While “Medicare does not cover routine visits to the dentist, nor will it pay for common treatments like root canals or fillings,” the article notes many Medicare Advantage plans do offer dental coverage. The article recommends people “shop carefully for coverage, paying attention to premiums, the type of dental benefits provided, and the network of covered providers.”

Most Medicare Beneficiaries Lack Dental Coverage

Reuters reports in continuing coverage that a recent study suggests that “only about one in nine U.S. adults with Medicare coverage” also have dental coverage, and “many of them may be putting off oral healthcare as a result.” Researchers “examined nationally representative survey data for 56 million people on Medicare,” finding 80 percent of seniors with dental coverage had a dental visit in the previous year, while only 41 percent of seniors without dental coverage received a dental exam. “We knew that older adults in the U.S. have substantial oral health problems in the way of tooth loss or untreated tooth decay, but this article really brings to light the substantial differences in access to dental services by income groups and how dental insurance mitigates much of these access issues across incomes,” said lead study author Amber Willink, a public health researcher at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. The analysis found dental coverage status “appeared to be the biggest predictor of whether a person received oral health care.”

        The findings are published in the December issue of the journal Health Affairs.

Medicare Advantage Plans Often Include Dental Coverage

MarketWatch encouraged people to understand the differences between Medicare and Medicare Advantage, noting that “unlike traditional Medicare, some Medicare Advantage plans also offer extended benefits, such as vision and dental care.”

        MouthHealthy.org provides information on paying for dental care after retirement.

The Motley Fool: Consider A Medicare Advantage Plan

The Motley Fool encourages people to consider Medicare Advantage plans since they may offer “greater coverage at a lower price than original Medicare.” The article noted that “a Medicare Advantage plan must offer at least as much coverage as original Medicare (i.e., Part A and Part B),” and “it will often provide more than that,” such as dental care.

        In a second piece, the Motley Fool stated that “many people sign up for Medicare without realizing the limitations of the program: what you do get and what you don’t.” For example, original Medicare does not cover “dentures or most dental care,” the article stated.

Consider A Medicare Advantage Plan

The Motley Fool encourages older Americans to maximize the Medicare benefits that are available to them to help offset the rising healthcare costs many experience during retirement. Among the tips provided to help get the most out of Medicare, the article encourages retirees to look into Medicare Advantage. At a minimum, Medicare Advantage plans “match the coverage of Medicare Parts A and B,” and many offer additional benefits, such as dental care coverage. The article also recommends retirees sign up for Medicare on time, review prescription medication needs, and receive any free preventive care services offered through Medicare.

Many Medicare Advantage Plans Cover Dental Care

In the Motley Fool “Industry Focus: Healthcare” podcast, analyst Kristine Harjes and contributor Todd Campbell discuss Medicare to help retirees “understand the ins and outs of this critical program.” Harjes and Campbell explain that unlike traditional Medicare, many Medicare Advantage plans offer coverage for dental, vision, and hearing.

Increasing Number Of People Choosing Medicare Advantage Plans

In an article in the Houston Chronicle , Holly Steinbrecher, CEO, Unitedhealthcare Medicare & Retirement In Texas, discusses Medicare Advantage plans, stating an increasing number of people eligible for Medicare are choosing Medicare Advantage, both in Houston and across the country. Steinbrecher says several characteristics of Medicare Advantage plans may be fueling the shift, including “predictable costs, additional benefits and care coordination.” For example, “some plans cover hearing aids and preventive dental care,” notes Steinbrecher.

Many Medicare Advantage Plans Cover Dental Care

Fox Business (8/20) carried a Motley Fool article that explains some of the differences between the “original” Medicare package of Part A and Part B and the “Medicare Advantage plan, sometimes referred to as Part C.” The article noted that “while original Medicare doesn’t cover hearing, vision and/or dental care, many Medicare Advantage plans do.”

Dental Care Costs May Impact Retirement Expenses

In a feature piece, the Spokane (WA) Spokesman-Review examines the impact of dental care costs in retirement, stating these costs add “to the bottom line of living expenses,” and “it’s a common misconception that basic Medicare covers regular trips to the dentist and certain oral procedures.” The article notes that some Medicare Advantage plans do cover preventive dental services, although “the extra coverage varies by the plan and may not cover such expenses as X-rays, fillings and crowns.” A retired Spokane dentist recommends people receive “major dentist work” before retirement and also set money aside “to continue to come to the dentist” during retirement.

People Encouraged To Plan Ahead For Healthcare Expenses In Retirement

US News & World Report (7/20, Reiss) states that “mitigating potential health care expenses” before retirement can “make all the difference.” In a list of six tips for future retirees “to protect their retirement nest eggs from sky-high medical bills,” the article recommends people “start by understanding the system.” For example, individuals can select Medicare Advantage, “which allows companies regulated by Medicare to cover dental care, eye exams and other medical services.”

The Jackson (TN) Sun (7/19, Thomas) added that “one of the biggest questions” for retirees is “whether to sign up for the original Medicare plan or an Advantage Plan.” According to the article, Medicare Advantage “bundles services and costs and might offer some extra benefits like vision and dental coverage but include some restrictions.”

MouthHealthy.org provides additional information on paying for dental care after retirement.