Letter: Dental problems

All my life, I've paid for medical insurance, including a dental plan.

I never thought twice about it. I just thought it was the right thing to do to protect yourself and offset the cost for treatment.

It wasn't until recently that I realized dental insurance plans seem to have more loopholes than benefits.

In December 2021, I went to my dentist to repair two broken teeth. My policy, which I purchased myself, came with a 12-month waiting period, forcing me to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket.

In 2022, I had more concerns with my teeth, and my trusted, highly trained dentist advised treatment to address the problem. However, my monthly dental insurance premiums didn't cover this necessary procedure, either.

Over the course of eight months, I had multiple procedures to fix my teeth and prevent more serious oral health issues. I again had to spend thousands of dollars out of pocket while my insurance paid just pennies on the dollar.

I was so fed up that I switched to another insurance carrier, only to be welcomed with another 12-month waiting period on major services and a six-month waiting period on basic services. The one thing that didn't have a waiting period was my monthly premiums.

The Dental Insurance Transparency Act (House Bill 1694) would guarantee that insurers put patients over profits and quit playing games with our care.

I ask the Legislature to quickly pass this bill so we can access the benefits we are paying for and deserve.

Editor's note: House Bill 1694 passed out of the House Insurance Committee 8-0.

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