Conference moira::parenting

It seems to me that when you sign up for the dental insurance here at Digital,
they only make a distinction between individual and family coverage, so if you
have the family coverage for your medical and dental, the kids are already
covered and included in the charge.  They don't charge by how many people are
in the family.

If you don't have family coverage now and are asking when to make the switch,
I'd probably make the switch during the open enrollment period that's closest
to the child's third birthday which is when I think they go to the dentist
for the first time (my kids are only 2 1/2, so we're not doing the dentist
yet).  If there's an emergency regarding the teeth such as a fall with 
injury to the teeth, that typically gets covered under medical insurance
anyhow.

    Cathy,
    
    Since both my husband and I work for Digital, we do not have a family
    plan.  And, since our son will be 2 on December 13, NEXT year's open
    enrollment is perfect timing for the 3-year-old anticipated visit.
    
    Again, our concern was not for the routine visits, but rather for the
    emergency visits.  Your statement about a fall with injury to the teeth
    being covered under medical insurance is an interesting one.  We'll
    have to check into that further with HCHP.
    
    Thanks for the input.  Other thoughts out there?
    
    Leslie

    I just checked with Harvard Community Health Plan, and in the case of
    an accident in which the teeth are affected, they only cover "immediate
    relief of pain," nothing additional.
    
    Leslie

    Check with your Personal rep and see if you can just add you son to
    your Dental ins.  I think that's all I had to do when I added my son to
    mine.  I have the family plan tho since my husbans doesn't work for
    Digital and has no medical ins. what so ever where he works.  I put my
    son on my Dental when he was born and it worked out well caust when he
    was 2 he fell and chiped one of his front teeth and I had to take him
    to the dentist to make sure he dind't need any treatment of some kind.
    
    Liz

    Liz,
    
    I checked with John Hancock, but there are just two choices: individual 
    or family plan, even though, in my case, the family will just be me and
    our son (as my husband has his own coverage through Digital) or our son
    on my husband's policy.
    
    It is unfortunate that we still have to pay the same amount just to add
    a child, when one parent is already covered under another policy, but
    that's the way it is.
    
    Thanks for the suggestion, though.
    
    Leslie

Of course, it's only $2.25/week.

Would it be cheaper for you or your husband to carry the family medical and
dental and have the other spouse opt out?  Since we've always used my medical
plan, I've always had family coverage, so I haven't had to look at these
issues much.

    Cathy,
    
    There is no opt-out for dental; it's for medical only.
    
    As Gerald points out, it's only $2.25 per week, so it's not a big deal,
    but we'd still rather spend the $117 on something else.  However, for
    peace of mind, I suspect that we'll just get the insurance.
    
    Thanks again for the input.
    
    Leslie

    I'm curious about the situation Leslie describes wherein both
    parents work for Digital and one has to opt for the "family"
    dental plan to cover the kid(s).   Spouse "A" would now be 
    covered by their individual plan and as a dependent on Spouse
    "B"'s family plan.  Would that mean that any balance - after
    John Hancock payment of Spouse A's dental claims - could be
    applied to the Family plan or vice-versa?   
    
    Not really related to PARENTING, I know...
    
    Carol

    Carol,
    
    That's an intersting point, to which I don't have an answer.
    
    Also, we did decide to go with the family plan.
    
    Thanks again for the input.
    
    Leslie

    I just called Hancock, and a Digital employee cannot be covered under
    two policies.  Therefore, my son and I are covered under my policy, and
    my husband is covered solely under his own policy.
    
    Oh well, it was a good thought, Carol.
    
    Leslie

    Leslie,
    
    	My husband and I both work for Digital and have 2 children.  When
    my first son turned 2, I started inquiring about getting him enrolled
    into a Dental Ins. plan.  At that time (and I believe this still
    applies), Dental Insurance enrollment does not go thru an "Open
    Enrollment Period".  Instead, we had to "apply" for the Family Plan
    and wait 3 months before any dependants would be covered. Therefore, I
    started this process about the time he was 2 1/2.  
    
    	Once my husband was carrying the Family Plan, I cancelled my
    individual plan with Digital and put myself as a dependant under my
    husband's family plan.....by doing so, we saved $117/year that you
    spoke about.  
    
    	FYI...when our 2nd son was born, my husband just went to Personnel
    and added him as a dependant soon after he was born, so Troy has been
    covered almost since birth.  There is no waiting period, once the
    Family Plan has been accepted and added.
    
    			marty 

>    	Once my husband was carrying the Family Plan, I cancelled my
>    individual plan with Digital and put myself as a dependant under my
>    husband's family plan.....by doing so, we saved $117/year that you
>    spoke about.  

You don't pay anything for individual coverage.

    Gerald, I stand corrected.  Guess I must be confusing the Medical
    Family Plan with the Dental Family Plan.  There's been so many changes
    in all the benefits at Digital over the last several years, I guess my
    brain got a little foggy on the details.  However, I clearly recall
    there being a waiting period before the Dental Family Plan kicked
    in...do you know if this is still true today?
    
    			marty

I added Noelle as my dependent on the family medical plan during the '92
enrollment period.  There was no waiting period (except that it didn't kick
in until January '93, of course).

    Marty,
    
    Dental Insurance is handled during the Open Enrollment Period, and
    there is no waiting period that I know of.
    
    Thanks, though,
    
    Leslie

    I hope it's okay to put this question in here...
    
    Has any one been successful in getting what John Hancock considers
    "reasonable and customary"?  I called the People's Support Network this
    morning and was told that that information is not and never has been
    available.  
    
    Thanks,
    Roberta

>> I hope it's okay to put this question in here...

Not sure if it's the right place to ask, but I'd be curious in the
discussion.  I've been banging my head against the same wall for a week.
Not sure why this information is so closely guarded.  I've been tempted
to just punt dental insurance all together for all the good it's done me,
but I'm sure that would be the day I needed it.

j.

    I *think* a friend of mine tried to find out once, and was told
    that she'd have to have her dentist file some form about approximate
    expense. That was the only way she could find out how much JH
    would cover. And that would be per singel procedure, presumably.
    
    Dental insurance has always worked out for us, so I'm not hugely
    worried about the increase. If it turns out that we spend much
    more on the insurance than the dental costs, we'll drop it next
    year. It is nice that we can pick and choose our own dentists 
    (unlike my husband's plan)
    Sue
    

    Well, when I expessed my desire to see this information and was told I
    couldn't they finally referred me to Paul Cornelius @MSO.  I have sent
    in a memo and am waiting for a response.
    
    My concern is not that the rates are going up, although I would like to
    know what is R+C today and how that will change after the first of the
    year.....I just have a problem with someone telling me that they are
    honoring a rate, but they won't tell me what that rate is.  It's like
    going to a mechanic for an estimate and they say they'll charge you
    what ever is reasonable and customary....wouldn't you want to know what
    that is?
    
    I'll keep you posted.....
    
    Roberta

    Well, a very kind lady named Patty Haugh called me from John Hancock
    and gave me all the information I needed.  I asked for a number that 
    I could give my fellow coworkers who had questions and she told me 
    to have them call 1-800-332-2060 and that whoever answers the phone
    would be able to provide some answers.  She did want me to note that
    the reasonable and customary charges "rates" that they have right now
    are for 1995, the new rates will be available 1/1/96 and they MAY be
    higher.  You do need the area code of your dentist to receive accurate
    information.
    
    Roberta