Best Private Health Insurance for Orthodontics (Invisalign) ?

Killua on 13/06/2018 - 00:38
Last edited 13/06/2018 - 10:48 by 1 other user

Hi guys, end of financial year so I'd like to get the best health insurance for orthodontics (invisalign) which I intend to do about 1 year later. If it can be combined with something that I can avoid the Lifetime Health Cover (LHC) loading or Medicare levy surcharge, it would be great. However, my main purpose for the health insurance is still orthodontics (Invisalign) only.

Which health insurance do you recommend?

And what is the procedure? Do I need to go to the orthodontist to check up first to see what I need to be covered before buying the insurance? If it is yes, I believe I have to pay for this checkup or insurance will cover it for me?

Invisalign is cheap in my home country which also has really good quality. I visit home country once per year. Can I have the treatment plan here, go back to home country to have the required teeth extracted as I can arrange for it to be at the same time I visit home country anyway, then follow the rest of the plan here.

Please advise. Much appreciated.

(I'm in early 30s, have Medicare, pay tax and do not have health care card).

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  spacemansam on 13/06/2018 - 07:32

  I can't answer the question about health insurance but I can explain the invisalign process based on my experience

  1) They take moulds of your mouth and send it overseas to get a digital simulation made for you about how your teeth will look

  2) 2-3 weeks later you come back to check if you're happy with the simulation

  3) Assuming you're happy the dentist/orthodontist will place the order for the invasalign alignmers to be made

  4) 2-3 weeks later the order comes in. They may remove teeth, shave off between teeth etc.. they also attach the brackets on your teeth so the invisalign holds. They then give you your first set of aligners

  5) 2 weeks later you return and depending on the person they may give you a couple of a aligners or 4-5 (each lasting 2 weeks), but generally they check up on you at least every 2 months to shave off between the teeth if needed

  So I tell you this mainly to show that they don't just give you all the aligners at once and let you deal with it. You still need to go back regularly for check ups

  Happy to answer any questions:)

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    dresh on 13/06/2018 - 09:50

    I was considering Invisalign but was always put off by the impact that it could have on my social life, since you have to take it off when you eat, drink coffee, drink alcohol, smoke and so on. How did you find it?

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      spacemansam on 13/06/2018 - 11:08

      Gotta say at first it was pretty annoying but I'm used to it now. If I'm going out for dinner and drinks for the night (which is usually once a fortnight), I just take it off before I go and just put it back on when I get home (even though you're supposed to have it on for 22 hours per day on average). But if its just a dinner, I'll take it off before hand and once the meal is over I just duck off to the bathroom and put it back on. It literally takes less than 10 seconds. So far I'm on my 12th aligner out of the 28 and it's already made a massive difference

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    Killua on 14/06/2018 - 13:25

    Thanks for sharing your experiences. Do you lose weight while having the aligner on? I heard when having the aligner, you couldnt eat much?

    And i believe the first step is to have the orthodontist check up before setting up a treatment plan? Does it cost alot for this checkup or any ozbargain way to keep it as less as possible? I remember somewhere that i should wait till their open day (like open day in uni) where they discount this fee?

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      spacemansam on 15/06/2018 - 17:21

      Nah haven't lost weight cause its so quick to take the aligners on and off. If there's chocolate, I'll still eat it.

      A lot of places offer you a free invisalign consultation to see if it is suitable for you so just look around

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  spiff on 13/06/2018 - 11:06

  I'm not sure of what the best health insurance plan for you is, but keep in mind..

  1) It's recommended to keep them on for at least 22 hours out of the day throughout the treatment period. It's a sacrifice of convenience that you'll have to make for having the less visually obstructive way of straightening your teeth.
  2) Even the most basic hospital cover will exempt you from having to pay MLS and prevent you incurring LHC. Invisalign claims would fall under extras though, so they're two separate issues.
  3) Once you do find an eligible plan, see if they have annual limits that you can claim. You may want to try a payment plan which splits payments across different health insurance years so you can maximise your total claim.

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    Killua on 14/06/2018 - 13:31

    Thanks for the advice. I’ll do more research about this.

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  Pecan on 13/06/2018 - 17:17

  Most PHI policies only cover a small portion of what Invisalign costs. So if Invisalign is the only reason for wanting PHI, then you might find it cheaper to just pay for all of it out of pocket. For example, I am on mid-tier Bupa and it only covers about 25% of the costs of my total Invisalign treatment.

  Plus you can't sign up to an Invisalign treatment in another country then bill an Australian insurer..

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    Killua on 14/06/2018 - 13:31

    I mean once i have the treatment plan from the orthodontist here, can i take the teeth out in another country & follow the rest of the treatment plan in Australia? I will pay for the service that i do in my home country & of course, wont bill aus insurer.
    Is it possible? Will the orthodontist accept or he/she won’t be happy about it?

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      Pecan on 16/06/2018 - 21:07

      can i take the teeth out in another country

      I guess you could. Are you sure you need teeth removed though? I didn't need anything like that done prior to starting my Invisalign treatment.

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      okbianca on 17/06/2018 - 12:32

      Everyone's teeth and treatment needed is different. Some need teeth removed (usually to fix overcrowding) whilst others don't.

      My orthodontist just wrote like a referral outlining which teeth needed to be removed and asked me to get it done at any doctor's, so I'm assuming as long as the overseas dentist does it properly and for the right teeth, it shouldn't be an issue.