Personal Finance

Invisalign payments

  • Last Updated:
  • Jul 4th, 2019 8:54 pm
Sr. Member
Mar 4, 2008
796 posts
333 upvotes
BC

Invisalign payments

Hey! My fiance is looking at getting Invisalign. She was quoted $5800 & $5510 from a 'good' dentist office.

Option A: $5800 if she goes on a monthly payment plan that pays over the course of the 12 months

OR

Option B: $5510 (5% off the $5800 - $290 off) if paying the full cost upfront

$3750 will be covered by extended health benefits but will be re-imbursed over the 12 months. $1720 upfront....I am thinking its best to pay all upfront? Trying to be mindful we have a wedding in a year from now, possible kid & a down payment to save for.

Thoughts?
9 replies
Deal Addict
Jul 21, 2005
2087 posts
1134 upvotes
Alberta
My wife had the same option, but hers was close to 10k and over 2 years as it was for real braces. We just did the upfront and saved the $580 I think it was at the time. Keep in mind that if you have Health Spending accounts, you can claim whatever isn't covered by main account under that. If your 12 months spans multiple years, you can use Health Spending Account allocation from two years, but if it's anything like mine, then they will only reimburse at the same rate as your monthly's normal fees would be. So for example, for us, we paid the full amount up front and got the $2000 I think it was up front from insurance, and after that we would submit $220 per month to Health spending account, for two years, to a total of $1500 a year, which is how much my Health Spending account was.

The office basically provides you with a claim form or forms for all the months, and you just fill in the date the bill would have been if you were on a monthly plan, and submit it for reimbursement.

Also, $5800 sounds kind of pricey for Invisalign, have you looked at the https://smiledirectclub.com/ ? Could save you a ton of money, since there is not much to Invisalign, at least compared to rear braces.
Sr. Member
Mar 4, 2008
796 posts
333 upvotes
BC
eblend wrote: My wife had the same option, but hers was close to 10k and over 2 years as it was for real braces. We just did the upfront and saved the $580 I think it was at the time. Keep in mind that if you have Health Spending accounts, you can claim whatever isn't covered by main account under that. If your 12 months spans multiple years, you can use Health Spending Account allocation from two years, but if it's anything like mine, then they will only reimburse at the same rate as your monthly's normal fees would be. So for example, for us, we paid the full amount up front and got the $2000 I think it was up front from insurance, and after that we would submit $220 per month to Health spending account, for two years, to a total of $1500 a year, which is how much my Health Spending account was.

The office basically provides you with a claim form or forms for all the months, and you just fill in the date the bill would have been if you were on a monthly plan, and submit it for reimbursement.

Also, $5800 sounds kind of pricey for Invisalign, have you looked at the https://smiledirectclub.com/ ? Could save you a ton of money, since there is not much to Invisalign, at least compared to rear braces.
I've never head of Health Spending accounts...I'll have to look into that, we live in BC (not sure if that matters) and then have Pacific Blue Cross for extended health benefits.

Ya, I thought so too, kind of. I do know about those online websites that will send you the molds/trays, but haven't looked into it a whole lot....
Deal Addict
Jul 21, 2005
2087 posts
1134 upvotes
Alberta
JimboD wrote: I've never head of Health Spending accounts...I'll have to look into that, we live in BC (not sure if that matters) and then have Pacific Blue Cross for extended health benefits.

Ya, I thought so too, kind of. I do know about those online websites that will send you the molds/trays, but haven't looked into it a whole lot....
The link I provided, that company actually has real locations in major cities to do the mold, after that it's all just aligners, pop a new one in every month or whatever and that's all there is to it. I wouldn't really want to do a mold at home myself. The Health Spending Account you just may not have, it's something the employer provides usually. I have had it at all the places I have worked, we get $1500 a year to distribute between Health Spending Account and Life and Wellness account (for ski tickets, workout equipment ect). Really depends on the employer and the benefits provider.
Deal Expert
Aug 22, 2011
41798 posts
30054 upvotes
Center of Universe
JimboD wrote: I've never head of Health Spending accounts...I'll have to look into that, we live in BC (not sure if that matters) and then have Pacific Blue Cross for extended health benefits.

Ya, I thought so too, kind of. I do know about those online websites that will send you the molds/trays, but haven't looked into it a whole lot....
Health care spending account is a type of benefit plan offered by your employer.
Sr. Member
Mar 4, 2008
796 posts
333 upvotes
BC
eblend wrote: The link I provided, that company actually has real locations in major cities to do the mold, after that it's all just aligners, pop a new one in every month or whatever and that's all there is to it. I wouldn't really want to do a mold at home myself. The Health Spending Account you just may not have, it's something the employer provides usually. I have had it at all the places I have worked, we get $1500 a year to distribute between Health Spending Account and Life and Wellness account (for ski tickets, workout equipment ect). Really depends on the employer and the benefits provider.
Thanks! I see why I don't have it. I am self employed ha!
Member
Jun 30, 2009
371 posts
216 upvotes
eblend wrote: My wife had the same option, but hers was close to 10k and over 2 years as it was for real braces. We just did the upfront and saved the $580 I think it was at the time. Keep in mind that if you have Health Spending accounts, you can claim whatever isn't covered by main account under that. If your 12 months spans multiple years, you can use Health Spending Account allocation from two years, but if it's anything like mine, then they will only reimburse at the same rate as your monthly's normal fees would be. So for example, for us, we paid the full amount up front and got the $2000 I think it was up front from insurance, and after that we would submit $220 per month to Health spending account, for two years, to a total of $1500 a year, which is how much my Health Spending account was.

The office basically provides you with a claim form or forms for all the months, and you just fill in the date the bill would have been if you were on a monthly plan, and submit it for reimbursement.

Also, $5800 sounds kind of pricey for Invisalign, have you looked at the https://smiledirectclub.com/ ? Could save you a ton of money, since there is not much to Invisalign, at least compared to rear braces.
Ask smile direct club what happens if the bite fails to close?
Sr. Member
Aug 20, 2015
517 posts
307 upvotes
Toronto
JimboD wrote: Hey! My fiance is looking at getting Invisalign. She was quoted $5800 & $5510 from a 'good' dentist office.

Option A: $5800 if she goes on a monthly payment plan that pays over the course of the 12 months

OR

Option B: $5510 (5% off the $5800 - $290 off) if paying the full cost upfront

$3750 will be covered by extended health benefits but will be re-imbursed over the 12 months. $1720 upfront....I am thinking its best to pay all upfront? Trying to be mindful we have a wedding in a year from now, possible kid & a down payment to save for.

Thoughts?
I would pick option B and save the 5% upfront. You're only paying $1720 upfront because of your benefits.

All the things you listed wedding/kid/down payment will be 1+ years out so I don't see an advantage to doing a monthly plan that only lasts 12 months. It might be a different story if your wedding was 2 months from now and you needed that cash upfront. But since you have some time to work out a budget you can factor these things in accordingly.
Sr. Member
Mar 4, 2008
796 posts
333 upvotes
BC
tsingoo wrote: I would pick option B and save the 5% upfront. You're only paying $1720 upfront because of your benefits.

All the things you listed wedding/kid/down payment will be 1+ years out so I don't see an advantage to doing a monthly plan that only lasts 12 months. It might be a different story if your wedding was 2 months from now and you needed that cash upfront. But since you have some time to work out a budget you can factor these things in accordingly.
Totally. Going with paying for it upfront.
Deal Addict
Jan 28, 2007
2321 posts
1676 upvotes
SW Ontario
Daughter has them ... we did the payment plan as we didn't have anywhere near that coverage and 2 years down the road was too hard to predict.

However, had we had your options it would have been plan B
I'd rather be outdoors camping, kayaking, and mountain biking ...

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