Guest guest Posted May 10, 2004 Report Share Posted May 10, 2004 Greetings! My name is . I am 29 years old (turning 30 in June!) - and have had braces on since June of 2002, in preparation for lower jaw surgery (an underbite). As of July of 2003, my orthodontist stated that I was ready for surgery. Afer visiting with the oral surgeon, it seems I need both upper & lower jaw surgery. The ballpark cost of the surgery: $5K-$8K for the lower became $12K for both with a $30K overnight hospital stay. I was told initially by my orhtodontist that insurance rarely covers the procedure, having worked for myself for the past 9 years, single, and very healthy, i do not have insurance, and did not get insurance as it seemed a moot point. I was prepared to save & pay $5K-$8K - but the new " price " has made the surgery cost prohibitive. I was told by the oral surgeon's financial dept that they would not lie and state that it was not a pre-existing condition for insurance. I now have these braces still on my teeth, with no surgery nearly a year later, and I don't know where to turn. I just want this to be over. My jaw pain, ear aches, migraines, and such are at an all time high (increasing with time). I don't know what to do, my career and life are on hold as long as these braces are on - and my self esteem is plummeting as the braces have pulled my lower teeth forward, making me look much more like Bubba Gump (from Forest Gump). I welcome any advice, wisdom, or kind words. Your new friend - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 10, 2004 Report Share Posted May 10, 2004 ~ I definitely know where you stand, at least financially wise. I am 20 years old, and after three years of hopping from specialist to specialist, my parents said that if I wanted to get relief from my headaches, body aches and everything else, it was up to me to find the right doctor AND get it paid for. So, as a freshman in college, I found the right team of doctors and i took out a loan to pay for my surgery. My aunt works for the department of insurance, so if you have any questions that she could answer, let me know!!! Other wise, taking out a loan is a little crappy, but in the end, hopefully the surgery will make me feel better and i will slowly pay it off. Good luck!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 10, 2004 Report Share Posted May 10, 2004 Hey, .... I only have one suggestion. Most insurances will cover pre-existing conditions after a waiting period. I believe the waiting period for me was two years. I actually stopped working over a year ago and continued my insurance privately at almost $300/mo through COBRA because I knew it would be worth it instead of switching companies and having to wait again or trying to pay out of pocket. I would look into different insurance options if you are willing to wait to be covered. I am going to be 31 next month and I have been waiting for this surgery since I was 10.... so I know that waiting is frustrating, but sometimes it's your only option. Good Luck! ~Cathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 Hi ! I don't know where you live, but you may want to look into a company they advertise in the Detroit area called HealthInsuranceGiant.com. I think they cover nationwide, but I'm not 100% sure. Good luck! > Greetings! > > My name is . I am 29 years old (turning 30 in June!) - and > have had braces on since June of 2002, in preparation for lower jaw > surgery (an underbite). As of July of 2003, my orthodontist stated > that I was ready for surgery. Afer visiting with the oral surgeon, > it seems I need both upper & lower jaw surgery. The ballpark cost > of the surgery: $5K-$8K for the lower became $12K for both with a > $30K overnight hospital stay. I was told initially by my > orhtodontist that insurance rarely covers the procedure, having > worked for myself for the past 9 years, single, and very healthy, i > do not have insurance, and did not get insurance as it seemed a moot > point. I was prepared to save & pay $5K-$8K - but the new " price " > has made the surgery cost prohibitive. I was told by the oral > surgeon's financial dept that they would not lie and state that it > was not a pre-existing condition for insurance. I now have these > braces still on my teeth, with no surgery nearly a year later, and I > don't know where to turn. I just want this to be over. > > My jaw pain, ear aches, migraines, and such are at an all time high > (increasing with time). I don't know what to do, my career and life > are on hold as long as these braces are on - and my self esteem is > plummeting as the braces have pulled my lower teeth forward, making > me look much more like Bubba Gump (from Forest Gump). > > I welcome any advice, wisdom, or kind words. > Your new friend - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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