For several years, Amanda Languirand, a foster mother of two children, had been living with constant pain in her jaw with little relief. A night guard for her teeth helped, but she still needed to find a long-term solution.
The pain Amanda was experiencing was caused by what is commonly known as TMJ, a group of conditions that cause pain and dysfunction in the jaw – or temporomandibular – joint and the muscles that control jaw movement. She also experienced sleep apnea, balance issues and limited range of motion in her neck, which made driving difficult for her.
“I just learned to live with the pain, although I never really got used to it,” she recalled. “So much of my daily life was affected by it.”
Seeking help, Amanda visited a dentist who specialized in TMJ. The dentist validated her disorder and prescribed a non-surgical option to treat the condition. Amanda was so grateful that she cried. She was fitted for a day guard and double night guard, which finally brought her the relief she was searching for after so many years.
“It’s incredible to think about how much of my life was being controlled by this pain,” Amanda shared. “With help from my dentist and an ear, nose and throat doctor who addressed my sleep apnea, I overhauled my health. I’m eating a healthier diet, sleeping better and I no longer have any pain while I’m eating, talking or working. It’s like a huge weight has been lifted.”
But during the process of working with her TMJ specialist, she learned that her health insurance would not cover the full cost of her treatment, and she would have to pay out-of-pocket for the remaining costs. Distraught, Amanda thought her family might even have to forego Christmas presents.
Challenges like this are becoming more common, particularly as healthcare costs in the U.S. continue to rise and healthcare plans cover less.1 At the same time, Americans are recognizing the value of overall wellness more than ever before, and want to prioritize their health, fitness, nutrition, appearance, sleep and mindfulness.2 Yet, as the desire for a wellness-focused lifestyle grows, costs may remain a barrier for many.
According to a study by Synchrony, the average American with an employer-sponsored health insurance plan can expect to pay more than $320,000 in healthcare costs (including insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs) in their adult lifetime – that’s not accounting for chronic illness, mental health services, or elective procedures, like most dental treatments.3
On top of that, a staggering 80% of people do not have a dedicated savings account for unexpected healthcare costs and, among those who do, almost half say it’s not enough.3 In fact, nearly half of Americans only have $500 or less in their savings accounts, which leaves them vulnerable to unexpected expenses,4 and according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, one in four adults say that in the past 12 months they have skipped or postponed getting healthcare they needed because of the cost.1
“Patients may not realize that health and dental insurance plans often don’t cover the care they need,” said Dr. Karl A. Smith, DDS LLC Periodontics and Implants. “Many of our patients can’t pay for their periodontal care all at one time, and our practice is not set up to handle in-house financing options. CareCredit offers longer payment terms to help our patients receive the care they need without emptying their savings accounts.”
Delaying care can lead to poorer health outcomes and an increased overall cost of care.5 As such, financing options where people can pay for health and wellness expenses over time can help bridge the healthcare gap.
Used alongside private health insurance, a healthcare savings account, flexible spending account and charity care, these financing options can help people pay for their health and wellness care when insurance doesn’t cover the entire amount.
Credit cards like CareCredit have proven to be a valuable resource for many, offering cardholders deferred interest financing to help pay for their health and wellness expenses over time and without interest if they pay off the entire balance before the end of the promotional period.
“I had used CareCredit before for pet care, so I knew this was a solution for me,” Amanda said. “I’m not sure what we would have done without it.”
CareCredit also made all the difference for Ashley Sraver, whose five-year-old son is on the autism spectrum and cannot sit for routine dental visits. “It was recommended by our pediatric dentist that we have his treatment done under general anesthesia. Our insurance did not cover very much of the dental work he had done, so we were left with a hefty bill. Thankfully, our dentist accepted CareCredit, and we were able to pay our bill over time. This really alleviated a lot of stress.”
CareCredit offers cardholders convenient and transparent financing options to help make health and wellness costs fit into any budget and can be used for a wide variety of care, services and products, including dental work, hearing care, such as hearing aids, cosmetic procedures, Lasik eye surgery and even pet care.
“The ability to get the care I needed, and to pay for it, has been transformational,” Amanda said. “Without the constant pain, I’m able to live my best life and focus more of my time on my family and my career. My message to anyone in need of care is to explore your options and don’t give up. No one should ever have to put off care.”
To learn more about how to prepare for out-of-pocket health and wellness costs, visit https://www.carecredit.com/well-u.
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References
1 Kaiser Family Foundation. Health Care Costs and Affordability. May 28, 2024. https://www.kff.org/health-policy-101-health-care-costs-and-affordability/?entry=table-of-contents-introduction
2 McKinsey & Company. What is the future of wellness? November 20, 2024. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-the-future-of-wellness
3 Synchrony Health & Wellness. 2022 Lifetime of Healthcare Costs. August 2022. https://image.emails.carecredit.com/lib/fe331570756406747d1173/m/2/1a90c56b-55cd-4ba9-ab0f-97907af17049.pdf
4 Olya, G. & Dudak, G. How Much Money Do Americans Have in Their Bank Accounts in 2024? June 27, 2024. https://www.gobankingrates.com/banking/banking-advice/how-much-money-do-americans-have-in-their-bank-accounts-in-2024/
5 Ratnapradipa K. L. et al. 2023. Factors associated with delaying medical care: cross-sectional study of Nebraska adults. BMC health services research, 23(1), 118. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09140-0
