A woman was shocked to discover the out-of-pocket cost she would incur for dental work despite paying $500 a month for dental insurance.
In a video that has racked up more than 656,000 views and over 5,530 comments, TikTok user C. (@lifewithnjandmama) became very emotional while talking about her experiences with the unaffordability of healthcare.
“I pay $500/month for health insurance,” an on-screen caption read. “I was just quoted $1,900 at the dentist.”
Then, C. made her position on insurance very clear with another statement in the on-screen caption:
“Health insurance is a scam.”
The woman said that she has “put off” dental work for the past few years because her financial priorities have been focused on her son’s health and the domestic violence court case against his father.
Nonetheless, she said she still pays $500 monthly on a health insurance plan to cover her and her son’s medical, dental, and vision.
So, she said that when she went to the dentist to get work done on a molar and wisdom tooth, she was shocked to discover just how much the out-of-pocket cost would be.
“Guess how much it’s supposed to cost me to fix those two teeth with dental insurance?” she asked.
She pulled out the paperwork from the dentist to prove she was being honest.
“I’m supposed to pay $1,900,” she said while brandishing a printout of the projected bill.
C. said when the dentist tried to schedule her for the following day, she had to “tell them no” because the cost was too burdensome.
“I’m supposed to make a split-second decision on whether or not I can afford, right now, to pay $1,900 for two teeth?” she asked viewers.
The decision of whether or not to follow through with the surgery at that cost weighed heavily on her.
“Am I supposed to keep suffering with broken teeth?” she asked.
Despite making “good money,” the woman said the cost of living in California makes every additional expense untenable.
@lifewithnjandmama What is the point of paying for health insurance is one tooth still costs 2 grand unless I want to get it pulled??? #healthinsurance #insurance #singlemom #momtok #healthcare #fyp ♬ original sound – c.
In the comments section, many viewers identified with the woman’s struggle.
“We are not fighting hard enough for ourselves!!!!!!” one wrote. “This should not be normal!!!!! Ahhhh I’m so tired.”
“Like what is the point of paying THOUSANDS of dollars a year for health insurance, if it doesn’t go towards ANYTHING!!??” a second said.
Others agreed that American healthcare is a scam and made recommendations for how to get work done at more affordable rates.
“This is why I take a copy of the work they recommend and go to Mexico,” a viewer said. “I was quoted $1400 for dental work and Mx dentist quoted $175. Dental in the US is a scam.”
“Go to Mexico!” another commenter wrote. “My husband had 2 root canals,3 cavities , deep cleaning and bonding done for $600.”
The Daily Dot reached out to C. via email for comment.
