THE SAGA OF MY MOTHER'S TEETH
or how the insurance companies suck and
hospital costs are frigging insane!




this has been going on for a few months now.

my mom is 90 years old. her heart is bad but she is active and lives on her own.
believe me, she has more of a social life than i do.

well, she only has three teeth in her upper front jaw so she wanted dentures so she could eat more comfortably and better. she only weighs about 100 lbs.

she has good insurance. we took her to the dentist to see what could be done. he made her upper dentures. the oral surgeon was set to go. there was only 1 thing. the docs agreed that she should be in the hospital as an out patient to get them out just in case of her heart. no big deal. 3 very loose teeth and out the door. no general anesthesia, just numb her up and boom and she could come home with me and stay til she felt up to par.

a thousand dollars of her money to the dentist and the dentures(reasonable)

and THEN the insurance says, nope, no way! they aren't paying for her to go to the hospital. it's elective and tough for you, see ya!!! (in not so many words)

her doctor tried. we tried. no dice. IF she wanted them out the "ballpark" figure for the hospital would be TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS!

if it was for wisdom teeth the insurance would pay. oh ho, ho. show me a 90 year old with their wisdom teeth!


so, tomorrow we'll pick up her upper denture and i told her we could put them on her bookshelf with a silk rose!!!

she did laugh at that.