Teeth Whitening covered on VHI (DeCare)??

JackieO

Just wondering whether there are any teeth whitening programmes covered under the VHI DeCare programme?

georgieporgy

afraid not.

ballsymchugh

nope, just checked their website. it's pretty disappointing really. it seems to be pretty similar to the NHS in the uk, in that it's more or less a 'needs' based system, and not a 'wants'

8) General exclusions
Cover is NOT provided for:
a) Dental services or health care services not specifically covered under your policy. This includes hospital charges, prescription drug charges and
services of anaesthetists. It also includes services or supplies that are medical in nature including dental oral surgery services, performed in a
hospital.
b) Any oral surgery, including the surgical extractions, surgical exposure of an impacted or unerupted tooth, surgical repositioning of teeth, surgical
removal of an impacted tooth or the surgical removal of residual roots, alveolectomy, alveoloplasty, and vestibuloplasty.
c) In-patient or out-patient hospital expenses.
d) New, experimental or investigational dental techniques or services will not be covered until there is, to our satisfaction, an established scientific
basis for recommendation.
e) Dental services performed for cosmetic purposes. Dental services are subject to post-payment review of dental records. We reserve the right to
collect any payment and the insured person is responsible for the full charge.
f) Services or supplies that have the primary purpose of improving the appearance of your teeth. This includes but is not limited to enamel
microabrasion, tooth whitening agents, tooth bonding and veneer covering of the teeth.
g) Dental services completed prior to the date the insured person became eligible for cover.
h) Intravenous conscious sedation, general anaesthesia, analgesic agents and nitrous oxide.
i) Dental services performed other than by a dentist, or his/her employees.
j) Dental services performed by a dentist outside of Ireland except for emergency treatment for the immediate relief of pain.
k) Dental services, appliances or restorations that are necessary to alter, restore or maintain occlusion, including but not limited to: increasing vertical
dimension, replacing or stabilising tooth structure lost by attrition or erosion, realignment of teeth, periodontal splinting and gnathologic
recordings.
l) Artificial material implanted or grafted into or onto bone or soft tissue, including implant services and associated fixtures, or surgical removal of
implants.
m) Orthodontic treatment services, except as described in this booklet and your Table of Benefits as a covered dental service.
n) Repair or replacement of lost/broken/stolen appliances.
o) Case presentations, office visits, study models and consultations.
p) Incomplete, interim or temporary services.
q) Corrections of congenital conditions.
r) Mouth guards.
s) Re-treatment or additional treatment necessary to correct or relieve the results of treatment previously benefited under the policy.
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t) Procedures designed to enable prosthetic or restorative services to be performed such as a crown lengthening.
u) Bacteriologic tests and cytology sample collection.
v) Separate services billed when they are an inherent component of a dental service where the benefit is reimbursed at an allowed amount.
w) Paediatric removable or fixed prosthetic appliances (dentures, partials or bridges).
x) Interim or temporary removable or fixed prosthetic appliances (dentures, partials or bridges).
y) Services for the replacement of an existing partial denture with a bridge or implant supported crown.
z) Additional, elective or enhanced prosthodontic procedures including but not limited to, connector bar(s), stress breakers and precision
attachments.
aa) Provisional splinting, temporary procedures or interim stabilisation.
bb) Controlled release of therapeutic agents or biologic modifiers used to aid in soft tissue and osseous tissue regeneration.
cc) Placement or removal of sedative filling, base or liner used under a restoration.
dd) Oral hygiene instruction and fluoride treatment.
ee) Restorative cast post and core or core build-up, including pins and posts.
ff) Occlusal procedures, including occlusal guards, occlusal adjustments, odontoplasty and enamoplasty.
gg) Services for temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ).
hh) Complex surgical periodontal services, including gingivectomy, gingivoplasty, gingival curettage, gingival flap, apically positioned flap, mucogingival
surgery and osseous surgery.
ii) Initial installation of full or partial dentures, fixed bridgework or an implant supported crown to replace a tooth (teeth) which was extracted prior
to becoming an insured person under this policy.
jj) Permanent crowns, inlays or onlays when the tooth does not have decay or fracture or the tooth has not been root canal treated.
kk) Any cost which is unnecessary or which is in excess of the usual, reasonable and customary charges for the area where the expense was incurred.



that's a hell of a lot of exceptions!

eamon234

OP is asking about VHI's dental plan not health plan

What Vhi DeCare Dental Covers

* 100% of your recommended yearly exams and cleanings.

* 70% of costs for fillings, space maintainers, sealants, extractions and treatment of gum disease - 3 month waiting period

* 50% of costs for crowns, root canal treatment and many other major dental services - 12 month waiting period.

* 25% of costs for dentures.

* One emergency dental care session worldwide per year.

* Annual maximums per person: crowns €500, all other dental services €1,000.

* There is an annual excess of €100 for crowns, dentures and root canal treatments.

ballsymchugh

and we answered.
you'll see from what they don't cover though that they are pretty picky on what they do cover, so your info is not entirely correct. you've posted that they cover 50% of the cost of crowns, but that is only on teeth that have been root treated or have decay (which beggars belief because a tooth should be disease free before it is crowned, and that would mean removing the decay, so strictly speaking under their exception, they wouldn't cover that)

georgieporgy

Decare Dental will cover 'up to' a certain percentage of some things with the exception of most things.

The ins premium is high and they are not pleasant to deal with. ie; they hate to pay up.

They are about to launch a new improved policy which might make it more attractive to some folks. Expect to see a lot of advertising shortly. Still not worth having I think.

Denplan , who are also trying to launch themselves in the Irish market,is probably a better deal?

JackieO

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Bit disappointing that this is not covered - seems like the DeCare cover is a bit of a waste of time if you have healthy teeth. Although with the PRSI treatment no longer covered - at least the DeCare will cover the two annual clean and polish trips!!

Does anyone know whether any of the other insurers include teeth whitening in their policies. This is something I would consider moving provider for. I had heard mention that maybe Vivas covered it but I'm not sure??