In one recent poll, 84 percent of Americans, including more than three-quarters of Republicans, supported adding dental, vision and hearing to Medicare.
Of course they do, why not? Who doesn’t want more?
Oh, the annual cost for dental coverage alone is estimated at about $50 billion a year. [remember, the Part A Medicare trust is running out of money]
The biggest opposition to Medicare dental is coming from dentists. That’s simply because they believe they will be reimbursed less, just like Medicare reimburses physicians less than private insurance, and, of course, direct pay patients. They’re right.
Medicare dental may well lead to higher dental fees for younger Americans and higher dental insurance premiums as well.
Consequences!
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
It is funny, but I don’t want the government to mess with dental. I realize that it might be “free” which is BS. But my reasoning is that my dentist gives exact pre-procedure quotes. This has been true for the five dentists that I have had over the years. Now the reason might be because of the limited services and procedures they perform and with an x-ray he knows exactly what he is going to do. However, he can quote what most insurance companies will pay and the office admin is able to lookup the cost with my insurance to verify the amount before I schedule my next appointment. Very few things have needed preauthorization of the years. My current dentist usually gives a discount in December because he knows every body has run out of insurance money and will accept the what the insurance would have paid if I didn’t use up all my benefits.
My fear is if the government gets involve the way that dentist bill and what they charge will change. Right now, dentists know that they are a luxury to most people. Once the government basically guarantees payment, then it will be a blank check to do extra procedures, upgraded dentures, and more cavities. They will raise rates realizing that they will only get a percentage of what they bill.
In my opinion, if the government wants to give free dental and vision, open public clinics and limit the choices (black plastic frame only or only silver filling). Dentist and optometrist will be competing against free government services. And way the government runs the VA hospital, I’ll bet people will try to go to private doctors which will provide better services.
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