Get with HIF extras for dental if you go to the dentist!

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  donga100 on 09/08/2014 - 15:04

  Don't bother with the "Topical Application of Remineralizing &/Or Cariostatic agents" next time. You can buy the a tube of it from your dentist for a few dollars instead.

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    musicinbed69 on 09/08/2014 - 15:14

    Interesting!

    Something a little concerning is after that treatment some of my teeth have weird white splotches to them… I looked it up and it's apparently "Fluorosis"… But everything I read says that topical fluoride shouldn't cause it on adult teeth, yet I can clearly see (in intense light) that there is very mild fluorosis on my top teeth now :/.

  • 

    Baysew on 17/08/2014 - 19:24

    There are other ways to save as well Dentist

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  [Deactivated] on 09/08/2014 - 15:14

  good timing with this post.

  ok… out of interest how much does it cost over here for a check up? i'm talking at just a normal family practise, not a fancy dental clinic. it's all free back home on the NHS and i'm scared my wallet is gonna get raped.

  i reckon i probably need one or two fillings along with the check up… not been to the dentist in years because the last few times i went they always said everything was perfect ha

  • 

    musicinbed69 on 09/08/2014 - 15:25

    Well I just went to the dentist down the road, so pretty normal stuff. $300 for my first appointment, $360 for the two fillings. I don't know if these are normal prices, I assume so.

    u gon get raped.

    edit: although I'm reading HIF are waiving 2 month waiting periods until august 31st.. so if you signed up for one month you should be able to save a lot, as I think all the regular dental stuff is within the 2 month stuff.

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  [Deactivated] on 09/08/2014 - 15:56

  just been looking at dental cover and they're quoting prices in weeks. stupid question probaably but do they have a minimum term? surely i can't just get cover for a week, go to the dentist, claim, and then cancel insurance?

  • 

    musicinbed69 on 09/08/2014 - 16:07

    I'm not too knowledgeable about this stuff so hopefully someone else chimes in. But I think you can as long as the waiting period for what you want is waived in a special offer, that's how they encourage people to join.
    But otherwise you have to wait out the 'waiting period' before they'll give you money back for things.

    I know australian unity require your first payment to be monthly, and then you can change it to weekly after that if you wish.

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  gevidian on 09/08/2014 - 16:46

  If you are in the right locations, you can get 100% back with NIB for the basic stuff. They also have 100 back on eyecare if you are again living in the right locations (or willing to go there).

  http://www.nib.com.au/health-information/extras-cover/no-gap…

  • 

    GnarlyKnuckles on 10/08/2014 - 01:32

    Erm, that's just for a 'check-up' Gevs. If you need anything actually done, like a filling, NIB covers 75% of the cost, up to a maximum of $600 per year (i.e. you pay $200 they pay $600). That's if you're on their 'top cover'.

    • 

      gevidian on 10/08/2014 - 07:48

      I did mention "basic stuff". Once you are into high $$ repair, probably much cheaper to hop on a cheap Air Asia flight and have a "dental" holiday.

      • 

        GnarlyKnuckles on 10/08/2014 - 14:01

        I would say a filling is "basic stuff", not "high $$ repair", and I wouldn't recommend getting cheap restorative dentistry done in Asia either. There's nothing wrong with the dentists, but the fact is many use inferior quality materials because that's what most of the people they treat can afford/ opt for. Then there's the lack of any real guarantee of any kind. If you have it done here and something goes wrong with it, the dentist is obliged to fix it if it's a fault of the materials and/or workmanship. If you have it done OS and get back and it fails, it's tough luck. And, it may turn out to cost even more than it would have to get it done here in the first place, to get the whole mess sorted out.

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  drexxx on 10/08/2014 - 15:30

  i am with HIF and love them.

  They dental coverage was the best by far when i researched them 1.5 years ago and they have only improved since then.

  Can't recommend them enough

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  Question on 12/08/2014 - 19:42

  Spoilers : The lowest level of HIF extra cover pays EXACTLY the same for a regular checkup. Check the brochure if you dont believe me. All plans are 100% up to the sub limits for the first calendar visit, 80% for subsequent ones.

  HIF has one HUGE downside though…their optical benefit sucks. While most basic extra cover is offering $150 or more back for optical, HIF is offering only $90 for their basic cover.

  • 

    GnarlyKnuckles on 14/08/2014 - 04:51

    Erm, if there's actually nothing wrong with your eyes, is this still a "huge downside"? Eyes are not like teeth, in that they don't tend to require "regular check-ups/ up-keep", for want of better wording, unless you have a history of dodgy vision.
    Once you start to really age, sure maybe then, but before then, it's not exactly analogous to teeth…

    • 

      Question on 17/08/2014 - 17:30

      Erm obviously the optical benefit is only useful if you actually need glasses (which more than a few people do).

      Although yes, dental is mandatory unlike glasses. HIF is great for people who only need dental, but not necessarily if they need dental + optical.

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    Daniel Plainview on 14/08/2014 - 11:24

    Sorry but you're incorrect in stating this first bit..

    HIF's entry level Extras cover is 'Vital Options' - and that has a FLAT 50% rebate across the limited services it covers - general dental being one of them - up to $800 back per person P.A.

    The cover I THINK you were referring to is the 2nd cheapest one - SAVER - and that is as you state.

    FWIW it appears excellent value for money and on the basis of this thread alone I'm going to sign up to it JUST for the general dental cover.

    • 

      Whodis on 16/08/2014 - 23:57

      I'm a dentist, and I, after much research (which technically I didn't need to do since I don't need much dental work) I chose HIF because all the other funds seemed a bit of poor value for money.
      That's with me being a provider for Medibank and BUPA. NIB is just a sh*t company.

      The only thing is HIF seems to be a bit unclear as to how much they actually cover per item of treatment on the dental schedule.

      • 

        Daniel Plainview on 17/08/2014 - 08:56

        You can find that detail but you REALLY have to dig and search for it (which is poor form).

        As with all the funds there's annual limits (which are indexed based on length of membership) and then %'s they pay on set items (which varies depending on the level of cover).

        Their operation is a tad amateurish as I signed up around 4 days ago and still have NOTHING from them but a confirmation email stating that I've signed up etc (paid full 12mths up front to get 4% discount).

        Used promo code 6W - which apparently gets you 6 weeks membership free - otherwise apparently you can use SAME - which gets you a Coles Myer gift card.

        I'd have expected to have received my membership number and access to online services etc as I'm assuming I'm 'on the clock' as a member.

        They've a good but pretty standard promo where if you sign up now they'll waive all 2month waiting periods - so from day 1 you can claim general dental.

        For that alone the membership fee more than paid for itself in the first year - so kind of a no brainer (ambulance, limited optical and pharmacy benefits are realistic benefits we could use on top - the rest is just very limited subsidies of crap we avoid anyway e.g physio, chiro).

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      Question on 17/08/2014 - 17:29

      Im not sure what this vital options thing is because when i try to view the brochure for it, i just get re-directed to saver options instead. Its probably an old cover they havent removed from their site yet.

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  bluedufflecoat on 18/08/2014 - 14:43

  I'm with Medibank, "MyOptions" cover.

  My last dental claim shows the following:

  D012 D012 Periodic oral examination $46.00 $46.00 Paid
  D114 D114 Removal of calculus first visit $89.00 $89.00 Paid
  D121 D121 Topical application of remineralizing and/or cariostatic agents, one treatment $25.00 $25.00 Paid

  Total: $160.

  I get two standard check-ups a year "free". Only start having to pay, if there are x-rays involved and some more complicated dental work required.

  Previously, I didn't think I was getting sufficient value for money, but now that I've started using chiro services (from last year), I roughly break even, i.e. extras claims are about the same as what I pay in premiums a year.

  • 

    liquid metal on 07/09/2014 - 21:39

    With HCF x-rays are included as well. If you are in the city you have to go to one of their dental centres, though. Cheapest extras cover in my case, pay around $350 annually. But that pretty much covers 2 x general dental check-ups and 1 x specialist check-ups.

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  Question on 20/08/2014 - 16:02

  How much are yo upaying for that cover, pre-rebate? And do you have to go to a preferred provider?

  • 

    bluedufflecoat on 20/08/2014 - 21:42

    Much more than your current $26/month cover.

    Around $75 post rebate = $900 p.a.

    $300 chiro per year. $200 flexi bonus which goes on chiro. $320 on dental for standard check ups, probably a bit more for other dental things if required and the maximum $100 on remedial massage.

    Break even.

    Wouldn't use optical like you do. Doing it overseas is much cheaper. Not worth claiming optical when it still leaves me $500 out of pocket.

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  Question on 21/08/2014 - 06:02

  Hmm, how do you do optical overseas? Do you mean ordering from sites like zenni optical?

  How are glasses costing you $500? I use 1.67 index lenses and my frames + lenses tend to cost me $200 or less…

  • 

    bluedufflecoat on 21/08/2014 - 08:36

    I travel usually once a year to Malaysia.

    I don't know why my glasses cost so much, OPSM? I also have astigmatism and they always say they need to use different, more expensive lenses. :(

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  Question on 21/08/2014 - 12:47

  Tell me what your prescription is. My highest is -5 and i use 1.67 index lenses. Your cover should pay for a significant portion of optical if it costs that much. There are lots of online australia providers that you can claim for…clearlycontacts, visiondirect, etc…

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  srhardy on 07/09/2014 - 11:45

  +1

  Be aware that most extras give a fixed amount for each service and even the cheapest extras that give a fixed percentage of say 60% (which is low, highest is 80-90%) will save you more for a dental visit.

  basic extras with pupa bronze $17 a month 60%, medibank basic 70% $22 a moth, top 85% $69 a month

  http://www.privatehealth.gov.au/dynamic/compare.aspx

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  Geewhizz on 08/09/2014 - 06:18

  Does anyone know if lifetime loading would be applied to an extras only policy if it's with a separate provider to hospital cover?

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  strikerzebra on 22/12/2015 - 13:42

  +1

  HIF is the best, I recently went to the dentist and got a check up, clean and fluride treatment for $236, I got back $212 back from HIF so only paid $24

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  cpho on 22/12/2015 - 23:26

  Hmm, I (and my parents) are with HCF's older "Multicover"
  Here's my Hicaps from the last dental appointment

  114 Remove Calculus $113, $113 paid
  121 Topical Agent $40, $40 paid
  011 Examination $60, $60 paid
  022 X Ray $44, $44 paid
  022 X Ray $44, $33 paid

  Total Gap, $11

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  ellave on 23/12/2015 - 16:05

  Another happy HIF customer here, been with them for about 3 years after researching best for dental. Still feel ripped off coming from the UK, god bless the NHS

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  [Deactivated] on 25/12/2015 - 10:20

  I use to work at HBA before it became BUPA, so I know a bit more about health insurance than your average joe and I can say without a doubt that extras cover is a complete and utter waste of money. OP, you didn't save a dime whether you're with HIF or another fund. You paid more in the end, smarten the (profanity) up.

  Instead of paying for extras each month/year, put that money aside and from that pay for your dental costs out of pocket. The majority of dentists charge less if they know you do not have extras cover, reasoning being that if you do have it, you won't really complain or even know how fast they drain your limits into their pockets when they add surplus item numbers for work they didn't do, where as with an upfront cost it is obvious.

  A yearly check up, clean, xrays, fluoride treatment etc etc extra costs you far less out of pocket than extras. I had to spring for a crown a few years ago and I still came out ahead paying out of my own pocket. The only way to come out ahead with extras is if you claim on every single thing, which most people don't do or even come close to doing. So what, you saved a couple hundred on glasses and dentists but pissed away twice that amount on cover.

  BTW, the stereotype that dentists are rip offs is true, they commit 90%+ of health insurance fraud.

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  [Deactivated] on 30/12/2015 - 21:03

  Is it possible that dentists will just put these items through anyway? Mine has always put everything through, I'm not sure if they would charge more for partial treatment without fluoride and so on.

  I know some dentists who take cash only, so they don't need to charge as much, i.e. not paying tax.