Dentist

Ken and I are as you probably already know both self employed. One thing that gets kind of expensive here in the US as a self employed person is definitely health insurance.

Due to my medical conditions it is vital for us to have very good insurance. Except working in my own company I am also director of marketing in Ken's company. This makes it possible for me to get insurance through Ken's company. We pay (for the 3 of us) about $1,200 a month just for the insurance premium. Then Ken and Sarah (who share one plan) have a $5,600 annual deductible that has to be fulfilled before the insurance pay anything. I have my own plan, and my deductible is $2,850 annually.

When I was really sick just a few years ago I fulfilled that deductible already in February, so I actually got 100 % free health care and medications for the remainder of that year. Very good care too!

Expensive but oh so necessary! Just the one surgery I had in 2007 cost almost $100,000, and that was just for the surgery and 1 doctor. Then came the hospital stay and all the other people involved with my care. It probably topped out at $150,000 in a few months there. Imagine not having any insurance, no wonder people go bankrupt after a major medical event!

We have talked back and forth about also adding dental insurance to our medical plan, and finally we did, so from July 1st we will have dental coverage as well, not that it covers all and everything, but it is worth it financially to add it after calculating how much we usually spend. Sarah and I go for regular check ups and cleanings twice a year, and Ken should do so as well.

This weekend I thought I had a cavity, not so odd since my Sjögren's disease (due to the lupus) has been acting up lately which plugs up the salivary glands and decreases the amount of saliva in my mouth and therefore ups the chances of getting cavities.

Surprisingly though it was not a cavity, but almost. So I will hold off and fix it in July, since we will have dental insurance then. I will also replace an old filling, which was estimated to cost $750, so I will get use out of the insurance right off the bat, that is good.

Sarah goes to a great pediatric dental clinic, and unfortunately they do not accept any insurance, so she might have to switch to a regular dentist if we want to use the insurance for her. The insurance would make her checkups 100 % free, so it would make sense.

Sarah takes very good care of her teeth and have had no cavities thus far. I think one major reason her teeth are doing so good is the electrical Sonicare toothbrush. That sucker cleans house! We have been using them ourselves for a very long time, and Sarah used to have a smaller electrical toothbrush, but now have the more powerful Sonicare. It was just too big for her mouth before.

I can really recommend teh Sonicare line of toothbrushes, it is awesome! My dentist says she has never seen cleaner teeth then mine before (but that could be good genes too, my mom apparently had very good teeth as well.)

I am almost done with the Hong Kong job, so I am going to take the afternoon off to clean a little. Ken is already home since he had to pick Sarah up in school while I was at the dentist.

I have some thick pork chops that have been marinating in a citrusy Mexican marinade overnight. Those babies are going on the BBQ later and will be good with some freshly made guacamole...