Dental Coverage in 2020: Why Retirees Should Be Insured

After thinking about it for a couple of years, speaking with your friends and family, and taking a close look at your finances, you have made a monumental decision: you are going to retire.

While you are excited to enter this new phase of your life and tackle a myriad of projects and hobbies that have waited for you for years—not to mention get to spend more time with that cute new grand baby—you know you have to be smart about your finances.

As you go through your expenses and decide what to keep and what you can eliminate, you may wonder if you should skip having dental coverage. Your teeth seem to be healthy and strong, and so you may be pondering eliminating this benefit to save money.

The Importance of Keeping Dental Coverage

Aging can be hard on teeth and many older adults experience receding gums, worn out tooth enamel, dry mouth, tooth pain and more. If your oral health is not at its best, you may be self-conscious about smiling, and eating and speaking can become difficult. If you don’t have dental insurance, you may put off some of these painful issues and not get proper care until the problems worsen, which means you may end up paying far more for an emergency visit and root canal. Paying out of pocket for routine checkups may seem like a reasonable option if you have great teeth—and hopefully this will continue to be the case—but suddenly needing to shell out thousands of dollars for a crown can make this plan seem foolhardy.

Budget-Friendly Options for Dental Coverage

Fortunately, you do have options when it comes to your dental coverage. The first is a regular dental insurance plan. Since you won’t be covered by your employer anymore in retirement, you can buy a plan on your own. If you like your current dentist, you can select a plan based on which companies he or she accepts. If you are ho-hum about your dentist and are fine with getting a new provider, you can really focus on choosing an in-network dentist in the most budget-friendly plan. No matter which plan you have, keep in mind that you can always ask for a discount on the proposed work. Dental work costs are rarely set in stone and if you explain to your dentist that you are newly retired and trying to cut costs, he or she may reduce the amount that is charged to your plan. In addition, if your dentist’s office has a hygienist or two on staff that you really like and trust, you may find that they are able to do most of the work you need at a reduced price.

Research Medicare Dental Plans

If you have enrolled in Original Medicare, you probably know that it does not include dental coverage. However, there are ways to access Medicare plans that do have dental coverage as a built-in feature. For example, Anthem offers Medicare dental plans, as well as cost-effective dental insurance that can be added on to your existing Medicare plan. These plans often include low or zero co-pays for your regular checkups, as well as X-rays and other more intensive dental services. By looking into one of these options and choosing a dental package, you may find it to be the most cost-effective option while also allowing you to continue to get great care from your dentist.

Enjoy Your Retirement!

After working hard for decades, you definitely deserve to enjoy your retirement years as much as possible. By continuing to cover your oral health through some form of dental coverage, you can help ensure that you are smiling your way through retirement with a healthy set of teeth and gums.

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4 Reasons Why You Need Baby Hats in Australia

Guest Post by: Eliza Gilbert

Australia’s hot weather has triggered dozens of fires and drought recently. Babies are at higher risk of developing heat-related illnesses because they don’t easily adjust to extreme temperatures.  Therefore, moms should protect their babies by keeping them hydrated and dressing them in fresh clothes. The skin of babies contains too little melanin to protect them from the sun. Therefore, sunscreen, cotton clothes, and baby hats in Australia are must-have items in your nappy bag.

Here are four specific reasons why you should consider getting a hat to protect your baby.

To Protect Your Baby from Heat 

The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) is committed to studying radiation and keep Australians safe from its harmful effects.  With their Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) testing, the federal agency releases a list of products that have passed their stringent examination. Products include swimwear, sunglasses, sunscreens, and hats.

According to pediatrician Andy Bernstein, babies need protective clothing with UPF of 50+ as the best form of UV protection against skin cancer.  For your baby, look for baby hats in Australia labelled with UPF 50+. Such hats are their best protection against heat exhaustion, heatstroke, and sunburn.

To Comfort Your Baby

Most moms observe that their babies cling to objects like blankets, soft toys, or a piece of cloth for comfort.  Baby hats in Australia are made of soft materials, can also be a ‘transitional object.’ 

According to Professor Frank Oberklaid of Australia’s Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, babies need transitional objects to comfort themselves when separated from their parents.  They hang on to these objects like a “companion,” a friend to sleep with, and converse.

Since baby hats are lightweight and made of crisp cotton, babies relate donning a hat with comfort and being in their mommy’s presence. You may want to consider buying more than one hat – some for wearing and one for your baby to hold on to as a comfort object.

To Make Your Baby Look Stylish

Modern baby hats in Australia come in many attractive designs and colours.  Here are some popular models:

• Legionnaire hats, also known as flap hats, protect the skin on the ears and neck, which are sensitive areas more prone to damage from ultraviolet rays.  These hats have flaps that cover your baby’s nape and sides.

• Bucket hats are adorable hats with a round brim that covers your baby’s head, from front to back.

• Beach hats are similar to bucket hats but with wider brims.

• Swim hats are handy for trips to the beach or swimming pools.  Aside from protecting your baby from the UV rays, these hats are made of materials like nylon that quickly dry and are chlorine-friendly.  Your baby can safely wear the hat the entire day.

To ensure that the baby hat has passed ARPANSA standards, look for the UPF certification trademark.

Baby Hats are for Long-term use

Since 97% of households in Australia have washing machines, you will have no problem with cleaning baby hats in Australia.  Manufacturers recommend machine-washing on gentle cycle and drying in the shade.

Baby hats will grow along with the baby.  Its drawstring is adjustable and stretchable to the baby’s head.  

Baby hats Australia are absolute necessities to protect your baby against the damages of excessive heat.  By choosing 100% Aussie-owned products, you will be contributing to the local economy.

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Tips For Organizing Your Garage

Whether your home’s garage is more of a man cave, or just a place for storage, over time, it can get crowded. It always seems like everything you want but doesn’t want to throw away can spend some time in the garage. After all a garage is an excellent place to store things unless you like keeping the basics like tools and the cars in there.

What does your garage look like now?

Before getting into the tip for organizing, you need to ask yourself what it looks like now and what you’d like out of the space. This is often the best way to get organized. Are you the type that has things thrown everywhere? Do you have boxes and boxes stacked to the ceiling? If you’re keeping your garage more like a shed, it’s time to go through and get rid of the excess.

Your garage isn’t just an additional space to store all the extra items; you simply don’t know what to do with. If you’re unable to part the car in the space, meant for parking your vehicle, there’s a problem. Spend some time going through and eliminating the clutter. Everything doesn’t have to get thrown away, but sorting items you’ll use versus what’s needing storage can go a long way.

Don’t be afraid to throw things away.

It can be hard-throwing things away. In many cases, the items collected in the garage are worth some money or cash was spent on them. It can seem silly throwing these things away, and an even bigger waste of money. But, we assure you, it is okay to do so. If you haven’t used or don’t plan to use something in your garage in the next nine months or so, the ‘stuff’ is just taking up space, and it’s time to go. But you have options.

Donating Is Okay Too

Eliminating clutter doesn’t always mean your items are destined for the landfill. Instead, while organizing your things, consider donating to a good cause. Many charities offer pickup services. These pickup services are convenient, and often same-day.

Everything Has Its Place

One of the most effective systems you can invest in is shelving units. If your garage currently doesn’t have storage designated areas, consider buying some cheap units to install. Shelving comes in plastic or metal options. These can help keep things off the floor and group things together you might need. Do you have a mechanic in the family? Shelving units can store car parts and accessories until they are ready to use them. This keeps everything not only together, but also easily locatable.

Is storage bins right for you?

There is one fantastic product, available on GarageDoorNation.com right now, perfect for organizing your garage space. Storage bins that keep items out of your way and are secured on the ceiling. This method for storage can double the square footage of usable space while allowing you to reclaim your garage.

With an EZ Slide ToteSystem, there is tons of potential for storing items. You can keep holiday lights and accessories all grouped for easy finding and airtight protection against moisture and animals. The system was created with durable, but lightweight parts, and is one of the most simplistic tote storage systems to maintain.

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