Recent economic woes have fueled an unfortunate trend – the election by many Americans to forgo necessary medical and dental treatments in order to save money.
Cutting treatments leads to more serious health problems
According to an October poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 36 percent of respondents had put off medical or dental care for themselves or know a family member who has. This percentage has risen seven percent since a similar Kaiser Poll in April.
Even more unfortunate is that 20 percent of those who had skipped a recommended test or treatment reported worsened conditions – which in many cases, leads to more costly treatments.
In particular, a recent report by The American Academy of Periodontology showed that skipping treatments and checkups may increase the risk for periodontal gum disease – and more serious overall health problems in the future.
What has caused the cut in doctor visits?
One reason so many people postpone dental care in particular is due to a lack of dental insurance. More than 108 million adults and children in the U.S. lack dental insurance, according to Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General.
However, those without dental insurance aren’t the only ones struggling to afford dental care.
The current economic strains are making it difficult for those with dental insurance to afford their deductibles. And with rampant layoffs around the U.S., some have postponed trips to the dentist to avoid missing work and risk becoming more of a target for future employee cuts.
Ways to cut costs while still staying current with treatments
Patients who cannot afford dental care costs at the time of treatment have a few options.
1. Some patients are forced to open a new credit card and repay the cost to the credit card company with interest added.
2. Others are able to finance the treatments through their dentist’s office. While most dentist’s office allow patients to pay with no added interest at first, many add interest after a certain period of time.
3. Discount dental plans offer great savings off most dental procedures. These plans activate quickly and there are no health restrictions – making them a great go-to even if you have already been diagnosed. To start saving today, click here and enter your ZIP code.
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