so i needed to go somewhere and vent about this cause it's been frustrating the shit out of me. Here is a little back story. I'm from ukraine, former soviet union. Always had healthcare coverage back home, never had to worry about not being "insured." Well i've been having some major problems with my teeth the past few weeks. I know it's really my fault because i shoulve taken better care of them but it is what it is. I had 1 of my molars extracted about 10 days ago. The pain was unbearable and i went to the dentist. I have state insurance because i work a full time job as a fucking clerk at a convenience store. I graduated out of university at buffalo about 2 1/2 yrs ago. Haven't been able to find anything. So i take what i can. I can't exactly afford health insurance that's why i went with the state coverage. Well turns out they only cover emergence extractions. Ok, got that covered. Well a few days ago another one of my molars started to bother me. Right now actually i'm sitting here, just took some vicodin and i'm just trying not to think about it. My options are 1. Take this tooth out, and probably the one next to it as well. They're both in pretty crappy shape, but again i really don't want to be missing 3 molars on the same side of my mouth. 2. Go to a dentist get a root canal on one of the teeth and extract the other one. Yea, i have $900 bucks to just blow on a root canal.... 3. Tough it out for 2 months till i go back to ukraine and get everything done there with little to no cost to me. Because my country actually cares about the well being and healthcare of their people So here i am trying to decide what to do. I'm mad at this country for the fact that someone like me cant get anything done. Yea sure i can extract 1 or maybe 2 more teeth, but i'm 25. I don't want to be missing 3 molars already, and if i want any sort of cosmetic work done down the line it'll only leave me open with just an implant option, which isn't cheap. Hell i talked to my coworker who is a 70 yr old woman and she told me for her to fix her mouth she (dentures or implants) it'll cost her $37000. What?! How the fuck can you tell a 70yr old woman that in order for her to be able to use her fucking mouth she has to cough up $37000. Oh and she has insurance through our company. Hell i could get insurance through them, or anyone else. But i'm still paying 60-70% of the cost of the root canal. Or anything else. Why? Why is it that our doctors make excellent money (depending on the field, but $80k-120k easily) yet someone like my or my coworker cant even afford a procedure that can save a tooth or 2. I understand the healthcare community, so to speak, needs to make money too. and everyone has families to feed and all that jazz. Well you know what, so do i. I have a child, i can't all of a sudden drop all my fucking savings on 1 tooth. Why is it that we live in "the greatest country in world" but our people can't get healthcare coverage. Why is it that ukraine has better healthcare coverage for it's citizens? Are we a richer more prosperous country than the u.s? Fuck no. Why is it the canadiens can have universal healthcare for everyone, but not us Oh and i'm fully aware of the healthcare bill that just passed, but you know what it's fucking 2010, time to get on board with the rest of the civilized world america. Care for your people, not just say that you do. Sorry for the length guys, but i had to get this off my chest. I've never been in this much pain in my whole life. And it kills me because i really don't have any options, besides yanking everything out. Yay...
what? I'm so confused. What does being a free people have anything to do with what i said? Are you saying people in ukraine aren't "free"? Trust me buddy, we have more freedoms back there than you do here. I've been in u.s. for 10 yrs. Ive seen the "freedoms" here. It's a nicely painted veil that people think theyre free, but theyre not.
no I'm saying what 'freedoms' american's demand come with a high cost socially. we are so involved with watching out for ourselves that we take away from the whole. If american's cared a little more about their fellow man than their own selves then maybe our society wouldn't be so fucked up.
That's a tough question. If your insurance covers just basic visits I would set up an appointment just for the dentist to give his oppinion. Ask if these problems can wait 2 months without any serious consequences. Dental issues suck so bad because many times they are a time sensitive issue. If you can wait I would fight through the discomfort and save a grand. If you can't it's a simple choice. Those teeth or the cash.
oh i was at a dentist. Him and i went over my options. He basically said if he takes the one tooth out, chances are it'll trigger the one next to it. so he advised me to get a root canal on one and get the other one out. Or just wait till i get back home and do it there. At least he gave me some pain meds, cause i can tell ya i've been popping ibuprofen 200. I took 6 of em in a span of 2 hours and i felt a litle better, but vicodins do the job. Too bad i only got like 12 of em....
Not commenting on the main subject of the post (I mostly agree) but just wanted you to know that... Every single dentist I've ever been too will set up a payment plan for you if you need things done. And if you explain you don't have insurance and would like to have it done as cheaply as possible they will generally try to work with you. I feel for you though. I know it's tough when you are sick and don't have the cash to pay for treatment.
Oh I'm sorry, I didn't see on the statue of liberty where it says " Give me your tired, your poor, and your bills to." I don't get where this mentality of "the government should take care of every little problem in my life for me" came from. Why should my tax dollars be spent taking care of your teeth when you could have been spending your whole life brushing or taking care of them like I did? America gives you every opportunity to make your destiny as you see fit, but its not the governments job to take care of everybodies personal problems.
personal problems? So the fact that united states doesn't have a universal healthcare system is a "personal problem"? The fact that bringing a child into this world costs tens of thousands of dollars, if you're not insured that's a personal problem? If you see it as that, that's fine. But you know what, your government should take care of their people. Government works for the people, not the other way around it. And making sure that the people is healthy and taken care of. Not given hand outs. But reasonable things like healthcare should be provided to some extent. I'm not asking for fucking lipo suction here. Or a pair of breast implants. No, i'm just asking for basic health coverage. That's it. Shit, i coudlnt' find a job after graduating college with a 4 yr degree. Not my fault this country's economy is in the shitter. Guess what, i can't work i can't afford to heal myself. Personal probelm alright. I wanna know how many other people in this country have this "personal problem" p.s. I always brush my teeth since i was a kid. 2 times a day AT LEAST. I just didn't take care of a small problem that escalated. Guess why i didn't take care of that small problem? Cause i was a fucking broke college student trying to make something of myself. Got my degree. Wanna wipe your ass with it? cause there is no other use for it nowadays....
Talk to the dentist about a price break. Many times they will give you the insured rate. This equals the same payment for the same job and not having to wait forever for the insurance company to pay. Your employer may be willing to forward you some cash and take a little back each pay period.
Sure there's some problems in this country's health care system, I'll agree with that. I've had tons more dental problems than you have, and paid for them myself sometimes, and other times had insurance from jobs. When my COBRA runs out, in a few months, so does my dental plan. If Amerca is so bad, why do so many people want to come here? And when they do, and are dissapointed, why don't they go back where they came from? Maybe because it's better here, overall, than their native countries?
its not entirely the gov't most of it jus has to do with the greed of most americans. in other countries the people pay higher taxes because they actually care about their neighbors. here, people want to make money off your injuries. and dont say its his fault cause his teeth are falling out, ur just blaming the victim
Sorry comrade, America probably needs to get invaded and "liberated" before we get free. Most of the citizens are too stupid to do it themselves.
Also, I gotta get my bottom wisdom teeth taken out..."Supposedly". These fuckers are filthy cockroaches. My upper class dentist says they gotta go. My more affordable dentist says they won't be a problem. One of these fuckers are fucking me over.
Best to go to a dentist that works for another one, they won't create work because they aren't making the money - the boss dentist is. My dentist's boss is some kind of big wheel in dental associations, so niether one of them are quacks and won't do work unless it's necessary. Very conservative is the way to go.
The New York University College of Dentistry has affordable treatment, if you're in need of it and can make it to their location. A friend of mine used to go there and had very good results, it's either free or very affordable. I'm sure that there are similar programs in other schools for dentists.