The BG Health Care Thread: Decreasing the Surplus Population

[Zealot]

Tons of dentistry is fraud but this takes it to a whole new evil level. Thread :

https://twitter.com/moetkacik/status...go2f0rk0A&s=19

I've been mistrustful of dentistry since I was a kid and read an article from a reporter who compared dentists. First he went to the same dentist he'd been using for years and got a regular check up, guy said he looked good, probably needed 2 fillings.

Then he went around the state to other dentists getting responses ranging from 5 or more fillings + crowns to serious root canals. His last stop was a dental college where a student told him he looked good but probably needed 2 fillings.

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[synistar]

I too don't trust dentists. Years ago I had to argue to scale back my cleanings from 4/yr back to 2 because my insurance didn't cover the extra 2. Told them I would find another dentist if they didn't change it. They gave in.

It's too bad so many dentists in my area are such a crapshoot

[Cail]

the dentist ive had for 10 years has been fantastic

[Ayn]

I've been mistrustful of dentistry since I was a kid and read an article from a reporter who compared dentists. First he went to the same dentist he'd been using for years and got a regular check up, guy said he looked good, probably needed 2 fillings.

Then he went around the state to other dentists getting responses ranging from 5 or more fillings + crowns to serious root canals. His last stop was a dental college where a student told him he looked good but probably needed 2 fillings.

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It's only been the last couple of years that I've become a little bit wary of my dentist.

Once had a toothache; went in, said 'nope, looks fine.' said "Oh, ok, wonder what it is" goes "I don't know. Want to do a root canal to be safe?" Just stared and went "Uh, no."

Turns out it was a really bad sinus infection (first time I've had one).

Had a crown procedure done that really made me question its necessity.

It's unfortunate. The one I had growing up was pretty solid. Had to swap when I moved out of state.

[Guitarman]

It's only been the last couple of years that I've become a little bit wary of my dentist.

Once had a toothache; went in, said 'nope, looks fine.' said "Oh, ok, wonder what it is" goes "I don't know. Want to do a root canal to be safe?" Just stared and went "Uh, no."

Turns out it was a really bad sinus infection (first time I've had one).

Had a crown procedure done that really made me question its necessity.

It's unfortunate. The one I had growing up was pretty solid. Had to swap when I moved out of state.

Had to laugh at the bolded part. I went to a dentist years ago for a toothache. As I'm waiting in the waiting room, you can hear him dropping f bombs and just swearing super loud in general from the waiting room. I finally get in, he looks at my tooth, and goes "Well i can't see anything wrong, so we're going to have to try a few things. Let's do the "worstest firstest" (his exact words) and pull the tooth". I'm like...uh....no? Barged tf outta there.

I went to my primary care physician, and it was inflamed sinuses pushing on the tooth...i needed sudafed. Crazy ass dentist was going to pull my tooth just to see what happens. So glad my current dentist is incredible.

[Krandor]

I had so many dental procedures growing up, felt like I needed a new filling every year.

Once I got into the military and the dentists are government employees not having a financial incentive to do as many procedures as possible I've had 1 in 13 years (to repair a tooth I cracked in half, so totally valid)

[Melena]

My previous dentist was great. Then he retired. Person who bought his practice, I'm probably going to leave as soon as I can find someone better. I'll barely trust them for general cleaning, but anything more than that, nope, sorry.

[Ayn]

Had to laugh at the bolded part. I went to a dentist years ago for a toothache. As I'm waiting in the waiting room, you can hear him dropping f bombs and just swearing super loud in general from the waiting room. I finally get in, he looks at my tooth, and goes "Well i can't see anything wrong, so we're going to have to try a few things. Let's do the "worstest firstest" (his exact words) and pull the tooth". I'm like...uh....no? Barged tf outta there.

I went to my primary care physician, and it was inflamed sinuses pushing on the tooth...i needed sudafed. Crazy ass dentist was going to pull my tooth just to see what happens. So glad my current dentist is incredible.

Ha, DAMN dude! Pretty similar to mine.

And Krandor -- interesting point.

Mine was chill up until a few years ago and now all of a sudden they've gotten more aggressive than before. I generally trusted them up until the last few years when I am pretty sure I've been taking *better* care of my teeth.

[Byrthnoth]

My best and worst dentists were in Pittsburgh.

Worst was a slick lady in a relatively expensive part of town with nice chairs and a new looking office. She definitely gave me two fillings I didn't need before I got wise to her game.

Best was a dude who wouldn't look me in the eyes in a relatively crappy office with chairs older than me.

[kuronosan]

Dentists purposely don't take dental insurance for a lot of things because it's easier for them to basically say "Nah fuck you just pay me at a discounted price that I can collect 100% of instead of what your insurance would pay me".

But then they don't tell you that insurance already doesn't pay much for the procedure so your out of pocket is almost equivalent anyway.

[Jaybar]

Man. I'm finally getting a new dentist this month and yall scaring me. Guess I'll be on my guard. I got a tooth that's always had a cavity after my braces were removed, but my old dentist poked it a bunch and just shrugged his shoulders and said "nothing needs to be done, just monitor it". Well now after 20 years of monitoring it seems worse, so guess this tooth is getting a filling at least.

FYI I originally wrote down 10 years and realized I'm 35, and freshman high-school was not 10 years ago.

[Xno Kappa]

I had so many dental procedures growing up, felt like I needed a new filling every year.

Once I got into the military and the dentists are government employees not having a financial incentive to do as many procedures as possible I've had 1 in 13 years (to repair a tooth I cracked in half, so totally valid)

This this this! But backwards for me.

It never dawned on me how much dentistry was a scam until I left the military and went to a civilian dentist.

Military Dentist: You’re good to go. Keep doing whatever it is you’ve been doing for the last 10 years.

One Year Later

Civilian Dentist: You’re gonna need a lot of work done. We’re gonna do a root canal and a few crowns.

Me: Lolnope

[Koyangi]

Guess I'm lucky my dentist doesn't recommend anything at all, just does my X-Rays when needed and cleans my teeth.

[Byrthnoth]

Keep that one then.

I've forgotten all the details, but my memory is that the government is generally somehow involved in setting the reimbursement amounts for dental procedures and has been slow to adjust the price to match reality. This is why your dental insurance is pretty cheap (considering you likely see your dentist more than your doctor), but it's also why they want to do procedures ($$$) instead of standard exam + x-rays.

Look at this and tell me how you'd keep up with the Joneses.

Ps. Relevant: https://amp.theguardian.com/us-news/...-boost-profits

[6souls]

https://twitter.com/OffbeatLook/stat...18863646949376
https://twitter.com/mxmclain/status/1442950887383736321
https://twitter.com/Drileymack/statu...20582473199617

[Kanriel]

Figured I'd bump this with my somewhat recent revelation about how fucking useless our government programs are in the US. So my GF is on SSDI, which means she has Medicare. We're also poor, and so she also has Medicaid. With covid I've realized how much better her day-to-day is when I'm around to provide for her instead of leaving for hours, and some casual googling can talk about getting a Caregiver for a disabled person, and then you can have said disabled person assign someone as said caregiver. Thus I could get paid to stay home and take care of her. Doubt it'd be much, but hey, kinda hits all the boxes necessary. But as I looked into it more...that's not possible.

So Medicaid has a program that will cover a caregiver that will help with daily activities, getting out of bed, getting food, using the bathroom, showering, etc. Medicare does not have a program like that, it will only cover a licensed nurse who will care for you after a serious injury (I assume breaking of the hip or something) for a few weeks and that's that. And because my GF is on Medicare, she's on a different sort of Medicaid program, which won't cover a caregiver like a full Medicaid program would. So basically a disabled poor person gets access to less health care? I think if she was applying for disability but didn't have it and just had full Medicaid this whole setup would work, but because she has SSDI I think the only play to make this work would be her declining Medicare coverage and going full Medicaid, then we could set that up. But I'm really not sure that's worth it, because Medicare+Medicaid basically covers everything and is actually kinda easy to find a place to accept the dual plan. But it's pretty stupid that there's a special, weaker version of Medicaid that people too old or disabled are thrown onto.

[Byrthnoth]

This is an outgrowth of the asinine way we do healthcare in this country. Medicaid is a state-run program. Medicare is a federal program. That means there are at least 50 different sets of gaps for people to fall in between the two.

Anyway, I am sure you already did this but make sure your Medicaid research was for the right state.

[Spicyryan]

This is an outgrowth of the asinine way we do healthcare in this country.

It's not asinine to them when extracting maximum profit with a sociopathic regard for the welfare of others is by design. Doesn't make it right obviously, but it will continue.

[kuronosan]

It's not asinine to them when extracting maximum profit with a sociopathic regard for the welfare of others is by design. Doesn't make it right obviously, but it will continue.

Closing the gaps was a major goal of the ACA that fell short because of states refusing expansion.

If Medicaid isn't covering something, blame your state government.

[Spicyryan]

Closing the gaps was a major goal of the ACA that fell short because of states refusing expansion.

If Medicaid isn't covering something, blame your state government.

The ACA was never going to fix this problem, and is frankly utter shit in it's current state. That's not to say gaining the right to coverage for those with preexisting conditions and it's other touted "achievements" is shit, but the ACA overall is despite basic wins like that. The states refusing to expand Medicaid hurts the poorest, but that means nothing overall for addressing costs, the horrible insurance industry, and general malicious woes of the health system. In fact horrible doesn't even begin to describe the fucking health insurance industry in America.

As much as I'd like to see it go to the lengths of a robust communist style healthcare system. Which is not as radical as the knee-jerk reactions such a statement causes. Other countries still keep private insurance in place (Germany being a good example) with a public option, aka Medicare for all in our theoretical case.