I was told the law is changing in 2019 for dental sedation to be covered by insurance. If I have a tooth that’s bothering me, is it okay to wait until the sedation will be covered by insurance?
Kelly A.
Dear Kelly,
You should know each state has their own laws regarding dentistry and sedation. There is a change in the law regarding dental sedation on the books in California that is proposed. If it passes, it’s slated to take effect in 2019. However, it’s a long way from passing at the moment.
Currently in California anesthesia is only covered when the patient is in the hospital. A lot of patients who prefer to use anesthesia for treatment don’t really need a hospital (which naturally has a higher cost). The proposal re-words it to cover anesthesia in certain other medical settings as well. This could be a great help for patients with dental anxiety.
Don’t Wait on the Dental Sedation Law for Treatment
It’s dangerous for you to hold off on dental care when you have a tooth in pain. Pain, in the dental sphere, usually represents an infection. If you put it off too long, you’ll have a dental emergency on your hands. Wait longer and you will have a life-threatening emergency on your hands.
Most people don’t realize how dangerous a dental infection can be. Your jaw is very close to both your heart and brain. If the infection reaches those areas, you can die. In fact, several people died just this last year due to waiting too long to deal with their teeth.
In other cases, the decay can become so invasive that you can’t save the tooth. That means a tooth extraction and expensive tooth replacements, such as dental implants.
Most dentists are compassionate. If you have dental issues that need addressing and don’t have the money, it usually only takes the willingness to talk to them about it. Often, they’ll offer payment plans. If for some reason you have a dentist who’s unwilling to work with you, you can either try another dentist or apply for Care Credit.
It’s a medical credit card which has low and even no-interest payments depending on your credit. There’s also no penalty for early payoff.
This blog is brought to you by Dr. Theodore Hadgis.