I recently received a shock when I went to the dentist for my six-month checkup. Not because I had a mouthful of cavities or needed another root canal. (I floss!) The unpleasant surprise occurred when it came time to pay the bill. This was my first appointment since I retired and lost my employer-provided health insurance, and I was on the hook for the entire cost.
As I mentioned in an earlier column, I opted for original Medicare and a Medigap plan when I retired. I made this decision because with a Medicare Advantage plan, I would have been limited to using in-network doctors and other providers. Likewise, while many Medicare Advantage plans include dental care, the coverage is usually restricted to providers in their network.
