My crown fell out Sunday night. I bought a 25 cent box of Mike and Ike's. I was worried, about infection or having to chew only on my right side, and having to swish listerine all the time. My last dental visit was a year ago, last November, at the BFC (Berkeley Free Clinic), which is mostly for homeless, I think, but I won the lottery and got in. (Not a figure of speech, they really have a lottery for aspiring patients). The BFC, though, has been closed since March, remaining so as long as the shelter-in-place order is operative. So my insurance is Denti-Cal, which is a part of Medi-Cal, which is a part of Medicaid (I think!). In any case, I got lucky and found a general practitioner who accepts denti-cal who could schedule me today, Tuesday. I don't know how much of an emergency it was, as it didn't hurt, but still, I have a freaking hole in my face! I didn't swallow the crown, thank goodness. I brought it with me, in a little key west wooden chest, which the assistant thought was funny. David from the BFC called me back within 24 hours, and told me what the KP member services woman said - that Denti-Cal will probably cover my crown for free. They both were wrong. East Bay Family Dentistry charged $65 to clean up my old crown and glue it back in my mouth, and will charge $1100 (minus this week's 65) to put a new, better crown in, after an appointment next week to get the crown shape right, and a third visit to put it in. Maybe I chose the wrong dentist. The BFC did it for free. The BFC dentists are at Just Health 510, and maybe they wouldn't have charged me a thousand bucks. I did the math. As a dog-walker, it would take 44 Kaleb walks to cover it. 44 weeks. 44 Saturdays. 44 trips out to Oakland on my bike, for a $25 walk (an hour). ANYway! My mom is helping me with the cost, which is super-appreciated. I arrived to today's appointment early, and they didn't want me to hang out in their waiting room, so I went outside to the table outside Boston Market, in the rain, under an awning, and read trivia, until it was time. There was this weird police robot, that looked like a rolling egg, patrolling the parking lot. I bought an 8.99 chicken salad sandwich, which was pretty good, while I waited.
Questions
I called Kaiser, and they have enrolled me in Delta dental? (as part of my Medi/Medi plan). I have no idea how this is part of, or separate from, the Denti-Cal coverage.
Medi-Cal Dental (aka Denti-Cal), which I have, is that the same as a "Managed Care Dental Plan"?
Does BFC have my dental records? Can and should they send them to EBFD? Did I have a root canal? I actually don't remember, and am not sure even what that is. Maybe I did.
If I had chosen Just Health 510, would I have not been charged $1000+ for a crown? Who knows?
My dentist was Dr. Chew. I noted that was a perfect name for a dentist. My name in Spanish is Chuy (prohnounced Chewy!), which I didn't say. But he mentioned how the attorney general's name is Barr, and I mentioned Webber, the NBA player. Also, an economist might name his son Rich. A thief might name his son Robert. A chef, Stu. Irene, I said, would be a good name for a diplomat (irenic means promoting peace) - I don't think they understood me, and thought I said "ironic." And I mentioned how people with A's in their name are statistically more likely to earn A's in school (weirdly). Well, anyway, it's a mad mad world. I'm glad I can eat again.
Another fun anecdote: Dentists are legally prohibited from advertising as 'painless.' A dentist got around this by changing his name to Painless! Which reminded me of a story I heard (true?) of a city in China naming itself 'USA' so they could say Made In -. Ha!
No comments:
Post a Comment