Ah, the vagueries of...

... modern life.

Or, to put it another way, the nexus of points where health insurance, dentistry and banking come together.

1) Health insurance is a wonderous thing, especially the the escoterica of things like the "high plan dental option". Through the adroit application of smoke and mirrors, this gives the impression of a real mouthful of Dental Coverage. Which is as it should be, especially since the services provided by it's upgraded premium price have remained unused for several years. But hey, I'm a Republican and have no problem with the profit motif.

2) Now the Dental plan meets Dental Reality in the dentist's office. The $1500 payout to the Oral Surgeon is okay with him. But it is not okay with the other specialists in the practice who are adding in another $2900 to make the shiney new plates (ah the costs of a picture perfect smile). So, as a joint practice (I really hope these guys have the routine down pretty good for those prices and because this is the faculty clinic at the dental school - these yohoo's are teaching future dentist), they demand that the patient pay upfront for the services and we get to keep whatever the insurance pays out.

3) Enter here the bankers, marching about like the wooden soldiers in the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. I had forgot rule #1 of banking. You know the rule. "We can only loan you money if you don't need it." "If you have to borrow money because you don't have it right now, then you are a bad risk." "However, if you would like to buy a $25,000 pickup truck, we can write that up immediately". "No, we cannot loan you $4000, even though Insurance will pay out $1500 and you are putting in $1000 up front." "You see, having paid cash for everything for the last 15 years, you have no credit history".

It's enough to make a feller want to do things the old fashioned way. Get drunk. Get in a barfight. Get the rest of the teeth knocked out. Go to emergency room. Let insurance pay the whole thing (emergency care clause). And have the shiney new teeth in less than 2 weeks at an affordable cost.

Sometimes the old days and the old ways just seem so...

warm and wonderful...

Peace and all good,

Kermit the Wonderfrog