How do so many lower income families afford braces for their teens?

[Anonymous]

I teach at a Title I school. It is rare to see a tween/teen without braces who isn't also on the FRM plan.

We had a social studies teacher let go last year who used the "braces effect" as an example in class on how the Republican party keeps the lower middle class angry at poor people and immigrants.

[Anonymous]

We are poor enough to qualify that our children get Medicare, but we had to pay out-of-pocket for their braces. It’s weird that posters on DCUM think being poor means you aren’t responsible or save. Sorry you’re so broke that your judgment is impaired.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re a two parent house, college educated, decent careers. Even with supposed good insurance we really struggled to pay for braces for our two oldest. My youngest daughter plays on a cheap YMCA sports league and it seems basically every lower income teen her age has braces. Meanwhile we’re still saving $ to put her in braces. Where do they all find the $ for orthodontia? I’m at a loss as to how this is possible.

Wow. Just wow. I hope you are not a parent on my team. Your entitlement ...

There is no entitlement in the OP's question. Just curiosity. I've often wondered the same thing myself. Personally I think this kind of stuff should be covered by medicaid, otherwise how would anyone struggling afford braces?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they budget and save better than you do?

CNN says 40% of Americans can't cover a $400 emergency expense, but low-income families have thousands laying around for (sometimes multiple) kids to get braces? Something doesn't add up.

https://money.cnn.com/2018/05/22/pf/emergency-expenses-household-finances/index.html

Most orthodontics offices offer financing. They likely have a loan and payment plan plus interest

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I teach at a Title I school. It is rare to see a tween/teen without braces who isn't also on the FRM plan.

We had a social studies teacher let go last year who used the "braces effect" as an example in class on how the Republican party keeps the lower middle class angry at poor people and immigrants.

Wow. Sounds like a terrible school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I teach at a Title I school. It is rare to see a tween/teen without braces who isn't also on the FRM plan.

We had a social studies teacher let go last year who used the "braces effect" as an example in class on how the Republican party keeps the lower middle class angry at poor people and immigrants.

Wow. Sounds like a terrible school.

If you’re a Republican who doesn’t like to be called out for fearmongering.

[Anonymous]

Medicaid

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They probably get it for “free” (#yourepayingforit).

Okay, how? I don’t want to pay another $7k.

The same way they qualify for their food stamps. They don’t work.

Many people on food stamps actually work minimum wage jobs. Maybe if states raised their minimum wages more people could get off food stamps. That was a novel idea floated by a wealthy R in CA.

https://www.cbpp.org/research/policy-basics-the-supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap

Raising min wage will only make braces (among other things) more expensive for the rest of us.

Op this is just another example of how the middle class loses. We make too much to qualify for assistance yet too little to easily afford things like braces.

Not having braces isn’t the end of the world. Most of the world exists without braces.

That may be true but in the US, straight white teeth are paramount to how you are perceived. I have friends who have really messed up teeth but they also have money to fix them, I wonder why they don’t do it.

[Anonymous]

My daughter has a soccer teammate who if you ever talked to the mom or saw where she lives, you would think this. The girl actually spends most of her time with her
grandparents who pay for everything (I carpool with them because the grandparents live in my neighborhood).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’re a two parent house, college educated, decent careers. Even with supposed good insurance we really struggled to pay for braces for our two oldest. My youngest daughter plays on a cheap YMCA sports league and it seems basically every lower income teen her age has braces. Meanwhile we’re still saving $ to put her in braces. Where do they all find the $ for orthodontia? I’m at a loss as to how this is possible.

Quit worrying about them and focus on yourself. Why are you struggling to pay? Adjust your budget accordingly.

[Anonymous]

Medicaid $11,000, initially. Treatment ongoing so its adding up.

[Anonymous]

Why isn't affordable and covered once a lifetime through health insurance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’re a two parent house, college educated, decent careers. Even with supposed good insurance we really struggled to pay for braces for our two oldest. My youngest daughter plays on a cheap YMCA sports league and it seems basically every lower income teen her age has braces. Meanwhile we’re still saving $ to put her in braces. Where do they all find the $ for orthodontia? I’m at a loss as to how this is possible.

Those freebies should be for every child.

[Anonymous]

Everyone doesn't need braces, perfect looking teeth shouldn't be the aim. That would burden healthcare system, only people needing it for health reasons should receive it for free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re a two parent house, college educated, decent careers. Even with supposed good insurance we really struggled to pay for braces for our two oldest. My youngest daughter plays on a cheap YMCA sports league and it seems basically every lower income teen her age has braces. Meanwhile we’re still saving $ to put her in braces. Where do they all find the $ for orthodontia? I’m at a loss as to how this is possible.

Quit worrying about them and focus on yourself. Why are you struggling to pay? Adjust your budget accordingly.

Easy to give others advice when people themselves are getting it for free?