Will Medicaid Pay For Smile Direct Club

Date:

The Good Bad And Ugly From The Green Bay Packers Win Over The San Francisco 49ers

Ask the SmileDirectClub Doctor | Starting a New Aligner

Green was sent the equipment to take his own mold, but it was too small. After getting his teeth digitally scanned and fitted for his liners, Green began noticing his teeth shifting. Not only was he sold as a customer, but when an opportunity arose to invest, the three-time NBA champion and 2017 NBA Defensive Player of the Year jumped at the chance.

Not everyday do you get a 40x thats not normal, Green said. To know that its performing that way is obviously a good feeling. Ill get a little bragging rights with this one . Its a very dear thing to me because I feel Ive been a part of this pretty much from the beginning. To see it grow the way it has is special.

Green is no stranger to investment. The 29-year-old understands the importance of a diversified portfolio, especially considering the average NBA career lasts 4.5 years with an average career earnings of $24.7 million.

Green is a Blink Fitness franchisee, opening his first location this June in Warren, Michigan. He plans to open in Evanston, Illinois, and Redford, Michigan, later this month, proudly creating jobs in the area he grew up while helping customers get healthier while improving their self confidence. In total, Green will bring at least 20 gyms to Michigan and Illinois.

The three-time NBA All-Star also invests in Mark Wahlbergs supplement line Performance Inspired, boxing fitness boutique Rumble and the athlete-empowering media brand Uninterrupted, founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter.

What About Hsa And Fsa

Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts both allow you to contribute pretax income to your medical expenses. Theyre an option for many employer health plans , and theyre also a viable payment option for your SmileDirectClub treatment. Whether or not youre eligible for insurance coverage, this can be a great way to help cover the cost of your treatment.

SmileDirectClub accepts payments from FSA and HSA accounts. If your plan has a specific debit card, just process it like you would any other card. Otherwise, contact their customer support team for assistance.

If you have an FSA, remember that they have a time limit, since you cant roll over funds from year to year like you can with an HSA. Make sure to use your funds before they expire!

Smiledirectclubs Founders Are No Longer Billionaires As Stock Unravels

From left: SmileDirectClub cofounder Alex Fenkell, CEO David Katzman, and cofouner Jordan Katzman on … its IPO day.

COURTESY OF NASDAQ

When SmileDirectClub went public in September, the companys 30-year-old cofounders became two of the youngest billionaires in the nation, joined by the father of one of them. A little more than a month later, with shares cratering, all three have lost their billionaire status.

SmileDirectClubs stock has dropped by 60% since it went public last month, making it one of the worst-performing IPOs of the year. Shares have plummeted as the company, which makes custom teeth aligners, battles a short-seller waging a boisterous campaign and a third state regulator looking to impose new restrictions on its operations.

SmileDirectClub founders Jordan Katzman and Alex Fenkell, both 30, are now worth an estimated $770 million and $700 million, respectively. David Katzman, Jordans father and SmileDirectClubs CEO, has $970 million. All three sold over $100 million in stock in the offering, but remain the companys largest shareholders and have most of their net worth tied to the business.

Short-seller Hindenburg Research has also targeted the company, putting out a lengthy report several weeks ago that accused SmileDirectClub of carelessly cutting corners and putting its customers health and safety at risk. It has taken a short position in the company, which means it will profit if shares lose value.

Cheaper Alternative

Also Check: Therapists Baton Rouge Accept Medicaid

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Bonding

Dental bonding is another option for fixing your teeth. Dental bonding doesnt straighten your teeth the way that braces or clear aligners straighten your teeth. But, if you have only a couple of crooked teeth and dont want to get braces to change the shape of all of your teeth bonding can be used to fix the appearance of crooked teeth¹. Bonding is also often used to repair small chips or cracks in a tooth. When a dentist bonds your teeth they will take a small piece of resin or resin composite material and shape it to fit your tooth and mouth. It will typically be colored to match your existing teeth so that it looks like it is your tooth. Then the piece of resin is glued over your existing tooth, fixing the shape or modifying the shape of your existing tooth². This process is repeated on however many teeth you need to have bonded, although typically its only done on front teeth as a way to make your smile look better. Bonding is a relatively quick and painless procedure and the results will look good for a long time.

They Must Be Desperate

Smile Direct Club Lincoln Ne

I visit Joshua Davis orthodontics practice in Philadelphia, and ask how many such patients he sees each year.I mean, Ive had two in the past week and a half, he said. Smile Direct customers will show up with misaligned bites, painful jaws, Davis said.

I suspect it should pick up even more over time, he said. I think they do great at marketing. And I dont think the patients are fully aware that its different than going to an orthodontists office.

At his practice, Davis has a room with the same iTero machine Smile Direct has, but its not all he has.

We take a panoramic X-ray, we take a cephalometric X-ray can measure the bones, he said. Then we also have a cone beam CT scanner, where I can get a 3D image of the bones of the head and the teeth.

None of this is cheap, and almost every orthodontist is also a small-business owner. They have to keep their practices afloat. So I had to ask: Is Smile Direct just winning too much? Cutting into profits, stealing patients. Davis said he has 80 more patients to see in the afternoon after we finish speaking.

So he, at least, isnt feeling the squeeze. He said guys like him and Smile Direct can actually coexist, to a degree.

I do think Smile Direct Club could offer a low-cost, retreatment option for that really slim segment of the population, he said.

He told me about a former patient who decided to follow in his orthodontists footsteps. First, he had to get his bachelors degree.

Recommended Reading: Not Reporting Marriage To Medicaid

Wisconsin Medicaid And Badgercare Plus Non

Who can call Non-Emergency Medical Transportation?

Non-emergency medical transportation is a public transportation, which provides a shared ride in either specialized medical services or other types depending on your medical and transportation needs.

If you are enrolled into any of these programs, you may be able to book a ride with Medical Transportation Management , Inc, who schedules and pays for your rides as your Medicaid and Badgercare Plus transportation manager, in case you do not get a free ride.

  • Wisconsin Medicaid including IRIS

What Is Smile Direct Club

SDC is a teledentistry company that offers a cost-effective alternative to braces and clear aligners like Invisalign. According to their website, there are three main steps involved in the SDC process:

  • Use an at-home kit to make an impression of your teeth
  • Receive clear aligners in the mail
  • Keep your teeth aligned with Smile Direct Club retainers

They can keep their prices low because there are no in-office visits with a dentist or orthodontist. But don’t worry! That doesn’t mean your treatment isn’t supervised. In fact, a licensed orthodontist or dentist will monitor the entire course of your treatment with SDC, and they will check in with you every 90 days.

The difference is that it will be done remotely, taking the hassle out of missing work or school to take trips to the dentist. Your assigned dentist or orthodontist will analyze the digital dental scans of your teeth and plan your treatment accordingly. This type of orthodontic treatment works for many people, but may not work in cases of very severely crooked teeth when strict orthodontic supervision is required.

If you’re feeling uncomfortable about taking your impressions at home, you also have the option of going to one of SDC’s SmileShops, where a specially trained representative will be happy to assist you in taking the digital scans of your teeth.

Keep in mind that you must have all of your permanent teeth and be at least 12 years of age to receive treatment with SDC.

Read Also: How Are Medicare And Medicaid Different

Is Smiledirectclub Covered By Insurance

Last updated on

You know the drill: present your insurance card, pay your copay, and go about your day. Its how many of us handle most of our medical transactions. But orthodontic treatment is a different ball game. Getting coverage for your orthodontic treatment depends on a few different factors, primarily whether your benefits include teledentistry coverage.

This can play out a few different ways, depending on your particular insurance provider and plan. Its possible that your insurance will cover 50% of your SmileDirectClub treatment. Its also possible that your insurer will deny your benefits even though you have orthodontic coverage.

Thats why we created this guide. Read on for an in-depth look at the policies and procedures involved with benefit claims for at-home orthodontic treatment with SmileDirectClub.

What Are Some Smile Direct Club Alternatives

SmileDirectClub | More Than Double | 30

Some Smile Direct Club alternatives are clear aligner brands like Invisalign and ClearCorrect which require periodic visits to your dentist and cost considerably more. You can read more about ClearCorrect aligners here.

ALIGNERCO, Candid, NewSmile, and Byte are other businesses with the same model as SDC, and also don’t require in-office visits.

Also Check: Eye Doctor Accepts Medicaid Insurance

Does Smiledirectclub Offer A Money Back Guarantee

If the dentist or orthodontist determines that our clear aligners arent the right fit for you, well gladly refund your risk-free impression kit or SmileShop scan. If, within the first 30 days of your treatment plan, youre dissatisfied for any reason, contact us to return your aligners. Learn more on our Returns page.

Smile Direct Club Locations

There are SmileShops in 45 states and in Puerto Rico, so if you want to you can go into a physical shop and have a SmileGuide’ take your impressions. It isn’t mandatory to go into the store the entire process can be completed online and at home, and there are no physical meetings with a dentist or orthodontist. Some people like the idea of not having to go to the orthodontist, but some dentists and orthodontists are skeptical, arguing that in-person visits with your dentist or orthodontist are an important part of the teeth-straightening process.

Also Check: How To Find Out If You Qualify For Medicaid

How Much Do Retainers Cost

Once youve finished your smile plan, youll want to invest in retainers. Retainers prevent your smile from shifting back to where it was before you started wearing aligners. Our clear retainers are custom-fit and totally discreet. Each set costs $99 and lasts up to 6 months. Give our Customer Care team a call to order your retainers a few weeks before you finish your smile plan.

Smiledirectclub Cyberattack Could Cost The Company $15 Million

Smile Direct Club Lincoln Ne

Nashville-based SmileDirectClub rebounded from a tough, pandemic-driven 2020 and posted a strong first quarter this year. Yesterday the company warned its second quarter results may take a substantial hit due to a recent cyberattack.

Dental assistant Jessica Buendia works in SmileDirectClub’s SmileShop located inside a CVS store … Wednesday, April 24, 2019, in Downey, Calif. CVS Health is venturing into dental care with plans to offer the relatively new teeth-straightening service.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

According to a breach notification filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, SDC experienced a systems outage that was caused by a cybersecurity incident on April 14, 2021.

The filing offers little insight into the actual breach. It does mention that internal engineers responded quickly and impacted systems were powered off or isolated from the reset of the companys network. SmileDirectClubs manufacturing systems were among those affected.

Leading forensic information technology firms have been brought in to help the SDC investigate the incident and assess the damage. The filing also states that SDC did not pay a ransom and that its systems are back online and performing normally.

Curiously, SDC claims to have been able to block the attack. Based on the rest of the information offered in the filing it appears that it may actually have been interrupted before progressing to a more dangerous phase.

Don’t Miss: New York State Medicaid Application

How To Check Your Coverage

There are a couple of ways to check if your insurance covers aligner treatment.

SmileDirectClub includes an easy-to-use eligibility checker tool that will check if your plan includes adult orthodontic coverage.

Many providers also allow you to check your coverage by logging into your account.

Finally, you can always call your insurance provider and check with them directly. There’s usually a phone number for more information on the back of your insurance card.

There are also Consumer Assistance Programs available for people who need help understanding their health insurance options in most states. Your states CAP can help you understand what benefits youre entitled to.

What to Do if Youre Denied Coverage

If the denial was because your claim didn’t qualify under your plan, you’ll have to reach out to your insurance carrier directly for clarification.

If you think your claim was wrongly denied, you have the right to file an appeal. First, the insurance company will review the denial internally. If they still deny, you can submit the appeal to an independent government body .

We recommend at-home clear aligners if you have mild teeth misalignment. View our top recommendations.

The Best Aligners For You

If you’re concerned by the lack of involvement by a trained orthodontist with Smile Direct, know that there are other options out there. We recommend you read our best invisible braces guide to dig into the details of Smile Direct Club’s competitors. Check out our article on Candid vs Smile Direct, but here’s also a quick overview of other brands you might want to consider:

If you’re interested in this type of treatment but not ready to commit just yet, you can begin by just taking a free assessment to check your eligibility.

Recommended Reading: Rehabs That Take Medicaid In Pa

Does Dental Insurance Cover Sleep Apnea Dental Appliances

Sleep apnea can be a serious problem that can cause health issues because it causes people to stop breathing at various points throughout the night³. Some people with severe sleep apnea stop breathing hundreds of times each night, which makes it impossible for them to get the restorative sleep that their body needs. Doctors may prescribe a CPAP machine to help people with apnea sleep and make sure they are getting enough air³. But, in less serious cases or when the apnea is caused by a dental issue a dental device that positions the teeth and keeps the airway open can be used to help prevent sleep apnea. If even you need a sleep apnea device to help you get healthy sleep the devices to treat them are usually not covered by any dental insurance. Sleep apnea dental devices are not covered by Guardian Direct® because they are considered to be cosmetic appliances. If you need a sleep apnea machine such as a CPAP machine to help you breathe at night your medical insurance may pay for that. You can also ask your medical insurance to pay for a sleep apnea dental device if your doctor feels that one is necessary.

Does Medicaid Cover Invisalign Braces

SmileDirectClub True Story | Iury

Medicaid is supposed to serve as a health insurance safety net. It is government-provided health insurance for people who cant afford insurance on their own. Its available to low-income individuals and to families who meet certain eligibility requirements. Payments are made directly to health care providers and sometimes a small copay is required from the patient.

Also Check: What Is The Number To Apply For Medicaid

Does Medicaid Cover Dental For Adults

Medicaid covers dental care for adults only in certain states, and each of these states chooses whether they want to provide limited, extensive, or emergency-only care. The states that currently provide at least limited dental care for their Medicaid base population are: AK, CA, CT, IA, MA, MO, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, RI, WA, WI.

What Is A Badgercare Plus Dental Program

BadgerCare Plus is a similar program for groups of people who may not qualify for Medicaid or have different needs for healthcare coverage. BadgerCare Plus is also sometimes informally referred to as just BadgerCare. Badger care plus is a health care program for all low-income and disable residents of Wisconsin who are elderly, blind or disabled but still need healthcare coverage. It does not have an open enrollment period, and people can apply at any time.

Recommended Reading: How Do I Get A Breast Pump Through Medicaid

Medicare Supplement Dental Insurance

If you need a supplement to your Medicare dental care to help cover costs, ask your dentist if they offer a dental savings plan. You can also purchase a supplemental dental insurance policy. To pursue either of these options, talk with your dentist and call your preferred insurance provider to learn about all of your options.

Also, check out our article that talks about affordable dental insurance for seniors for more information on finding low-cost dental care if you are 65 years or older.

To recap, the following video provides a clear summary of Medicare dental coverage and what services are included:

Popular

More like this
Related

How Do I Sign Up For Pregnancy Medicaid

Can Uninsured...

Eyeglass Places That Accept Medicaid

Confirm Medicaid...

Dentist Who Accept Medicaid For Braces

Why Medicaid...