Does anyone else find this a bit unfair?

[Ana Gram]

This might be just because I am in a lot of pain. I have a toothache with a tooth that needs to be removed. Unfortunately it costs $300 to have it out, so I am looking at living with this toothache for a while as we simply don't have the money.

I think families who are living on a single income should be able to get a healthcare card. What do you think?

[V8]

Yep, i agree it's totally ridiculous! I had to get my wisdom tooth out as it was impacted and i had facial swelling. I went to a big hospital in Sydney where they said i couldn't get it done as i didn't have a healthcare card, went to Centerlink and apparantly i earned $1000 a year to much, the limit was like under $20,000 a year, which is bugger all! So ended up getting MBF cover, got the tooth out, still cost me $400 but i did manage to get some back from Medicare. It's totally sucky about dentists though, they should be able to bulk bill for emergency work at least!

[Sarie]

I totally agree Chelle. We're in the same position, though hubby and I both have teeth that need attention. I don't see us getting to the dentist anytime soon.

[reAllytee]

Dont even get me started !
Have you tried another dentist ?
Cause another may do it cheaper as ajient said leaving it untreated may cause more harm than good like the bacteria spreading to other teeth or into your jaw.
I so wish you were in Syd i could at least point you in the right direction !!!!!

[Funkychicken]

Hey Chelle, our local dentist has a policy that ALL families should be entitled to dental care, so they charge at a much lower rate than some others. i ahd a 2nd molar pulled last year (and it was a biggie!) and it only cost $95.00.
If you want the number of this dentist (they are in Berwick) let me know.:D

[CJJHRA]

its still expensive here even if you have a health care card. You get a discount, but in an emergency like that, who has a spare $75, not me!!

Luckyily kids get free dentist once they are of school age, but if they need braces...ARGH!

[Ana Gram]

$300 is cheap for a dentist in my area I am afraid. And I have tried to explain to the dentist why $300 is too expensive for me. I have at least $800 worth of work that needs to be done and she can't understand why I can't just have it done now.
With the last tooth that came out, I was in more agony and had to borrow money which we are still paying back. At that time she said they could save the tooth with $800 root canal. When I said that I couldn't afford that, her response was that it would be over three months so it's not like I had to pay it all now. She couldn't understand why I said it could take us 2 years to save $800.

[Funkychicken]

No worries Aijent. I'll PM it to you. I think the last time we went in it cost $15/child.

[sugar n spice]

It totally sucks with dentists they always say yeah it needs to be done now but you can never afford it. My oldest had to have a tooth out and a filling and it cost me $300 between three appointments i cant wait till they can see the school dentist.

[cheezelkat]

It's insane.

Private health insurance is expensive, and we earn just a tiny bit over the limit for assistance. Living in pain is the only option available.

[Sarie]

It's insane.

Private health insurance is expensive, and we earn just a tiny bit over the limit for assistance. Living in pain is the only option available.
Same here, we miss out by very little I think maybe $20-$30 a week, to get a health care card. We can't afford for one of us to go to the dentist let alone both of us at the same time!

[~EmsMum~]

I do think its unfair, people shouldn't have to suffer.

:hugs:

[suemp]

i have a hcc but you cant use it at dentists up here you can only go to the few government ones that exist but you have to line up all day , hope to be seen, and then they only do the cheapest option anyway..not necessary the best option. so i pay to see a proper dentist!! that does seem harsh for a tooth extraction. i had 1 out about 6 months ago. it took an hour to remove as i needed bone cut and stitches and it still only costs $180 and im on the gold coast (rip off central)

[SnoozesWithCats]

And yes I think all single income families earning under say $50 000 a year should get a hcc. I think at the moment in vic you have to be unemployed, single parent or disabled to get one.

Actually, it's somewhat more generous than that here - the faowebsite (http://www.familyassist.gov.au/internet/fao/fao1.nsf/content/payments-hcc)
claims any family under $40,000 income can get one, and there are also some mysterious low-income-limits that they don't go into on the website :rolleyes: - presumably there's some system so arcane that even centrelink staff don't understand it, I found I got told different things from different people all the time when I was dealing with them.

chellegoth that situation really does suck (are we allowed to say that here? ;) guess I'll find out...). Personally I think dental work should be covered under medicare just like any other part of your body then you could just go to a hospital and get it seen to.

[brizbabe]

Actually, it's somewhat more generous than that here - the faowebsite (http://www.familyassist.gov.au/internet/fao/fao1.nsf/content/payments-hcc)
claims any family under $40,000 income can get one, and there are also some mysterious low-income-limits that they don't go into on the website :rolleyes: - presumably there's some system so arcane that even centrelink staff don't understand it, I found I got told different things from different people all the time when I was dealing with them.



Not sure why the underlined comment was completely neccessary to be honest:(-Yes if your combined income is less than $40000pa for FTB you will automatically receive a Health Care Card

If you don't qualify for that because your combined income is too high you may have better luck with a standalone application for a Low income card-You need to supply the previous 8 weeks of gross income (from all sources) and it needs to be under a ceratin amount. As it has recently changed I am sorry can't tell you the amount offhand and it is also reliant on marital status / how many children etc.

Contact the FAO and ask them to look it up on a screen that will calculate it automatical called LITRL screen or check it on the their rates charts-they all have access to the same tools. :D

Also bear in mind that NOT all HCC have the same level of assistance. The states of australia have various rules which apply to concessions and what type of HCC can be used to get that type of concession

Hope you get the relief you need with your tooth otherwise:kiss:

[Little Gorilla]

chelle, i had a really bad toothache a few months back (i wanted to kil someone, it was just beyond words) - I really needed it pulled but just (a. didn't have the time or (b. the $$ at that particular time.
anyways, I went to a bulk bill medical centre and they put me on antibiotics..it cleared up within 2 days....although I suppose it could flare up again at any time.
do you have one of those training dental hospitals around you? i know there is one in sydney that is pretty cheap, however, you have to wait for a while - not sure about vic.

[SnoozesWithCats]

Not sure why the underlined comment was completely neccessary to be honest:(

Sorry, I wasn't meaning to bash Centrelink staff with that comment, I just think the systems the Government have for low income assistance are entirely too complicated.

When you're in that region between about 30k and 50k there's a whole bunch of different schemes that you MIGHT qualify for, all with different income tests and cutoffs depending on family structure, or renting vs owning, number of kids, what age they are, who's earning the cash - and then you have to factor tax rates into it as well. I found it impossible to always determine what the right financial decisions were, and I had full knowledge of our situation, a vested interest in getting it right and all day to think about it!

[Ana Gram]

do you have one of those training dental hospitals around you? i know there is one in sydney that is pretty cheap, however, you have to wait for a while - not sure about vic.


Not sure but the last time I went to the dentist, she said she would have to write a letter to enable me to go there. Stating finacial hardship or something but I'd have to pay for a trip to the dentist first.

[Shelly68]

We automatically got send a HCC a couple of weeks ago. Didn't have to apply or anything, but with the new $40,000 threshold instead of the old $33,300 a lot of families are now eligible.

Although ours doesn't entitle us to anything other than cheaper scripts at the chemist up here in Qld.

Can you phone around a few dentists, I used to go to one on Plenty Road in Preston and also one in Broadway Reservoir, I remember they were really reasonable and believe it's still the same dentists.

Good luck, I really don't think there's much worse than toothache pain, it's right up there with childbirth, but at least you know that has a good outcome.

[newmum2one]

We got sent a hcc automatically a few weeks ago as well (two days after we'd finished a round of 5 trips to the doctor in two weeks!!). I agree that single income families should be entitled - there are a few aspects to the C/L system that are unfair - my DH earns $3 too much per week for me to get a parenting payment! Really, every case should be decided on its merits, NOT on some threshold, although a family's income should be a consideration in the decision.

[sam's mum]

What is the Maximum Gross Income to qualify for a Health Care Card?
Your income must be below the limit that applies to you for the eight week period for you to be eligible for a Low Income Health Care Card.

Status .................................................. ..Weekly Income.............8 weekly income
Single, no children...................................$411.00 ..........................$3288.00
Single, or couple combined, one child......$719.00..........................$5752. 00
Partnered (combined), no children...........$685.00........................ ..$5480.00
For each child, add ...................................$34............ ....................$272.00

Each time you apply or renew your Low Income Card, you will be required to re-qualify for the card. To be entitled to a new or renewed card, your weekly income must be no higher than the Maximum Gross Income required to qualify for a Health Care Card (as stated in the table above).

The federal government gives you the health care card which entitles you to the reduced cost prescriptions. State governments run their own health systems and so it is up to each state what concessions you get for dental etc.

Good luck.

[anna's mum]

Just to add, definitely shop around because some dentists (especially suburban dentists) can charge up to a 1/3 less than other dentists. We are in Wollongong & I have found one in the northern suburbs who charged me $120 to get a wisdom tooth pulled, compared to the $300+ I was quoted at one a few minutes down the road :)

[OscarTheGrouch]

Toothache certainly is the pits. Maybe take Nurofen Plus and squirt Savacol at the effected tooth. My DH is off to get 4 wisdom teeth pulled on Wednesday..... $3000 later!!!:eek: :( We'll get half of it back from private health, but the other $1500 is a struggle. No wonder I used to call the Dentist the 'murder house' when I was a kid!!!

[MonkeyMum05]

... in my ignorance (regarding all things financial, and the way medicare really works etc) I often wonder why dentists aren't subsudised by medicare... like at the doctor's?!
Dental health affects our over-all health and well being, so why is it so un-affordable?
...and the longer it takes us to save up the money to get dental wokr done, the more that needs doing... the more it costs...etc, etc... :banghead:

[OscarTheGrouch]

Totally agree MonkeyMum05.:thumbsup:

[Mum2Bug]

I'm lucky enough that I can attend the government dental clinic at our local hospital around the corner. There was a 6 month waiting list but its great now and is subsidised depending on the amount of government benefits you receive

[mum23girls]

Oh geeze, how easy would life be with a health care card!!! I can only imagine.....

I could get DD's medicine alot cheaper than what I do now, I could turn up at a Dr without paying in excess of $50, I could do my college at half the price......:smiliedance:

I also need to go to the dentist, but until I have an open chequebook, then it is impossible!!

I have never tried it but someone told me that if you put bonjela on, it will help!

Good luck with the tooth!

[jessgray]

i read in the hearld sun today that a wife of a known con man was being investigated for HCC fraud she is the wife of a millionaire con man and claims a HCC for herself and 3 children. hwo she got away with i have no idea. makes you wonder why they dont put dental on medicare and give hcc to people who actually need it.

[FourAngelKisses]

I need all of my top teeth pulled and I have done for the last 10yrs, but I can't even afford a checkup let alone to get one pulled.

DD will need braces at the end of this year, Medicare will cover 85%, but that is still 15% of the cost of braces and the palate widening thingy that I need to find. Not sure how I will find the money for it, but I have to do it somehow.

[kymmy]

My hubby went to the dentist in desperation and offered 200 cash upfront to pull out a tooth. He thinks I should too.
Better than mucking around.
I think its unfair to expect ppl who aren't working to pay top dollar for health basics, really.
My hubby works, I don't but we struggle at the best of times.

[neeky]

i completely agree! its so stupid. i rang up to see if we were eligible and we are $800 over the limit!! i have at least a couple thousand dollars of dentist work to have done, my dp has another few hundred, and just last week we had to pull $150 out of our butts so ds could have some tests done!:banghead:

i dont know how they think people can manage!

[subaruforestermum]

It is unfair that you cant get a HCC, my partner is on approx $45,000 per annum and single income and we still get a HCC, so I dont see why others cant. The whole system has gone down the drain........ I'd look into it again.

Not sure about anywhere else but in Brissie Logan Hospital has a dental clinic that bulk bills HCC holders, and there are schools which have Dental Clinics, that are free for children.

[Pinkbug]

how did u go??? manage to find a place?? i remember couple of years ago my sister had to have an emergency dentistry on her tooth as it was so painful she refused to eat she was getting too thin etc.. the dentist near her had a payment plan u pay what u can until its all paid off see if ur dentist does this too they should be understanding!!

[Ana Gram]

Still have a toothache, but it is bearable. And still no closer to getting the money together. The last dentist I went to has a finance option but that is a loan so you would have to pay interest which would leave us with more bills!

They go on about how important it is to get regular checkups at the dentist but how many people can actually afford that?

[Pinkbug]

YEAH I know its ridiculous I haven't been to dentist since ermm... I had braces when I was in year 9 I think to year 11 so that was my last time coz is bloody expensive and my poor mother had to pay for it - she is a single mum of three of us also didn't work only voluntary work until I was about 19 she got a job!! and she still did it Even now I am like HUH how can I afford it I have no idea how she did it with us 3!! she is an amazing mum!!

From my memory my sister didn't have the finance payment thingy she just paid to the dentist with no interest surely they do that?!?!? its not fair!! we're mums!!

[tickle]

Chelle, I had similar problems finding a cheap dentist. I called the teaching hospital thing up here to be told I can call at the beginning of next year to see if I would be even able to have a consult. In the end Beany suggested trying the uni dentist, not the teaching one. They are usually located in the union buildings of some universities. The one I am now going to quoted me $500 for some work that my suburban dentist quoted me $1500 for. Could be worth a try? Hope you can find a solution soon, I know exactly what the toothache is like, you dream of the day you can move your mouth without pain again.:(

[Shelly68]

DD will need braces at the end of this year, Medicare will cover 85%, but that is still 15% of the cost of braces and the palate widening thingy that I need to find. Not sure how I will find the money for it, but I have to do it somehow.

Hi, how did you find out medicare will cover 85% of braces, I have never heard of this before and my DD11 needs them too, I'd be very interested to hear more.

[FourAngelKisses]

Hi, how did you find out medicare will cover 85% of braces, I have never heard of this before and my DD11 needs them too, I'd be very interested to hear more.

She is a cleft lip patient and because she needs braces for a medical condition, Medicare will help cover her costs. It's a shame they wont cover the rest of us though when our teeth start affecting our health.

[Shelly68]

That's fair enough then, she should get it covered by medicare seeing as it's for a medical condition. Thanks for letting me know.

[FourAngelKisses]

No probs...I should have put it in my original post though shouldn't I. :laughing:

[AquaDevil78]

Agreed Dentists fees are daylight robbery, i have called a few places as i need all my wisdom teeth pulled and one next to one of them as it has stuffed that one up, overcrowded mouth and one of them is decaying, but i simply cant afford to get them pulled at 350 per pop, every dentist i have called in my area charges 300-350 :eek: So at the moment and for god knows how long i will just have to lump it, i have had an issue with them for years, and yes i brush, floss twice a day, mouthwash etc so it has nothing to do with hygenie the simple fact is there was no room for my wisdom teeth, and so they gradually pushed out, sopme not straight and my bottom right one pushed out sideways into the neighbouring tooth, so the pressure cracked that and that particular wisdom tooth and so they are getting worse. IT SUCKS and i really want to ge my teeth fixed but i cant, and even if i did somehow raise funds to get them removed, i would still need more money to get implants to replace the missing teeth so im not a gummy bear :banghead:

[FourAngelKisses]

yes i brush, mouthwash etc so it has nothing to do with hygenie

Same here, except mine were too close together to get a piece of hair between, let alone a piece of floss. I think I have bad teeth because I grew up drinking tap water and the last time I drank a glass of milk......I was about 2yrs old!!! If I knew when I was a teenager that milk was needed for strong teeth, I would have gone and brought some calcium tablets, but I didn't know that until I was pregnant at 19, by that time, it was too late.

Most of my top teeth have broken away to gum level, but I can't do a damn thing about it. It hurts, because the first thing people see when they look at me, is this mouth full of disgusting teeth and that makes them not want to get to know me. Maybe when the kids all leave home (if I can stop getting pregnant every time I even think about having sex), we can get a loan and I can have dentures put in, but that is still 20 odd years away.

Medicare SHOULD cover dental costs as bad teeth = bad health. Doctors wont do heart surgery on a patient who has tooth decay.

[OM]

Doctors wont do heart surgery on a patient who has tooth decay.


Oh why is that?

[FourAngelKisses]

Something to do with infection getting into the blood stream through the hole in the tooth.