Dental health

I have a question, which I’m hoping someone out there can help me with.

Why is it that my employer’s health insurance will cover 100% of just about any medical expense that isn’t blatantly frivolous (including 100% of prescriptions), but only half of dental costs?

I’ve noticed this with pretty much all my health insurance—previous plans certainly didn’t go the 100%-no-co-pay route, but there was still this disconnect between how much they’d pay for doctors and how much for dentists.

What is up with this? Do these insurance wallahs think we go to the dentist for any reason other than because we absolutely have to? Do they think we’re getting fillings for fun? If the billing statement says anything other than “vanity procedure”, do they really think we’re trying to game the system?

I ask as I’ve just had to shell out nearly $700 for a crown, allegedly half the total cost. It’s not like I said to myself, “Hmm, feeling like spending 90 minutes up close and personal with the dentist and his staff, and paying several hundreds for the privilege.” And when the bill goes to the insurance company, it’ll say, “piece of tooth broke off”, so it’s clear I’m not getting veneers.

I’m not sure whether the various healthcare reform bills swirling around the Congressional bowl include dental care; but they ought to.