Losing insurance during braces treatment... what should I do?

So, I’m in the middle of my braces treatment and just found out that I’m losing my insurance. Kinda freaking out. Anyone else been through this? What are my options to keep the treatment going without breaking the bank?

Yeah, I had the same thing happen to me. I lost my insurance about halfway through treatment. The first thing I did was talk to my orthodontist, and they set me up with a payment plan. It wasn’t too bad. Have you asked your ortho about payment options yet?

@Scout
Thanks for the tip. I haven’t reached out to them yet, but I will. Do most orthodontists offer payment plans?

Shan said:
@Scout
Thanks for the tip. I haven’t reached out to them yet, but I will. Do most orthodontists offer payment plans?

From my experience, yeah. Most of them have some kind of option for people who lose insurance or need to pay out of pocket. Mine offered an interest-free plan, which helped a lot.

If you have a secondary insurance through a spouse or something, you might still be able to get coverage. I switched to my partner’s plan and that helped cover the rest of my treatment. It can be tricky, but it’s worth checking into if you have that option.

@Neve
That’s a good point. I’ve seen some people juggle multiple plans, and it really cuts down on costs. Have you looked into whether you can get secondary coverage, OP?

I lost my insurance during my Invisalign treatment. My orthodontist worked with me to figure out a monthly payment plan. I know it’s not ideal, but you can definitely keep going. Have you thought about financing options like CareCredit or something similar?

@Linden
I used CareCredit for my braces. It wasn’t too bad as long as you pay it off on time. Just be careful because if you miss a payment, the interest can get kinda high.

Jai said:
@Linden
I used CareCredit for my braces. It wasn’t too bad as long as you pay it off on time. Just be careful because if you miss a payment, the interest can get kinda high.

True. I had a friend who missed a payment, and the interest rate spiked. But if you stay on top of it, it’s a decent option for covering the cost.

It might sound simple, but check with your orthodontist before panicking too much. They’ve probably dealt with this before and can guide you through it. Mine offered a lower monthly payment when I lost my insurance. It’s better to keep the treatment going, even if you have to stretch out payments.

@Sutton
Exactly, they’re usually pretty understanding. I ended up doing smaller payments over a longer period of time, which helped me finish my treatment.

One thing to watch out for is the ‘work in progress’ clause some insurance plans have. It might limit how much they cover if you switch plans or lose insurance. Definitely worth asking your insurance company or orthodontist about that.

@Harley
Good call. I had to deal with that when I lost my insurance. They wouldn’t cover the rest of the treatment because I was already in progress. It’s frustrating, but at least you know what to expect.