Options When It Comes To Dental Insurance
Many Americans suffer from problems that come about because of bad
teeth or poor oral hygiene – and in some cases the pain and discomfort
caused by toothaches and the like has been compared to the pain of
giving child birth. Unfortunately however, when it comes to dental
insurance, most of us find that coverage and benefits are extremely
limited.
Dental insurance doesn’t offer anywhere near the amount of coverage and
benefits that medical insurance plans usually cover; even though
dentist bills themselves can easily reach into the thousand dollar
range. This is the main reason why the majority of citizens don’t have
adequate dental care – because co-pays and out of pocket expenses, even
with dental insurance are simply too costly for most of us to afford.
And with unemployment rates climbing steadily, more and more
individuals and families find that our options for dental coverage are
now even more limited than ever before.
There are however, a variety of different types of dental insurance
that you can receive – knowing the difference between all of your
options will help make a better decision and get the plan that best
suits your needs. For example with an indemnity plan you will usually
be responsible for a co-payment on every visit, and there is a limit on
the amount of annual spending. The advantage here is that you’ll be
able to pick your own dentist; this is not the case with some of the
other plans such as a closed panel plan, a PPO (Preferred Provider
Organization) plan), a dental care service plan and even some forms of
self-insurance, which require you choose from a specific group of
dentists.
With a PPO your choices are limited to dentists who can provide the
work at a reduced cost, and with a dental care service plan you will be
required to choose from a list of non-profit dentists who will be able
to provide the work for one flat fee. If you have a direct
reimbursement plan, your employer will reimburse you for any costs
incurred on your behalf; and you can usually choose your own dentist,
too. The problem with direct reimbursement plans is that you’ll still
be required to have the money and pay for any services you receive
until receiving reimbursement from your employer – and for some
individuals and family who live from paycheck to paycheck, this simple
isn’t a viable option.
After you understand the various types of dental insurance that are
available, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the exact benefits
of each plan. For starters, X-rays are almost always covered, whereas
fillings may or may not be – it depends on whether or not you are using
a composite material for the actual filling. Many cosmetic procedures
are not covered by the majority of dental plans, either. However, if
you are receiving veneers for the purposes of restoring a smile, your
insurance may be willing to reimburse you for a certain percentage of
the cost. Most of the time this still leaves you to pay for the
majority of the bill, but the reimbursement is better than nothing.
Discount dental plans are a little bit different than the normal dental
insurance plans described above, and you might find that you would
prefer a discount dental plan for you and your family’s dental needs.
For a monthly fee that will be much lower than any premiums associated
with dental insurance you can receive some great dental benefits – in
some cases even up to 60% off on certain dental procedures through a
discount dental plan; and most other types of insurance can’t even come
close to that. Though you will be required to choose a preferred
dentist through a discount dental plan, your options are much more open
when compared to the limited dentists included in a PPO or dental care
service plan. Furthermore, there is typically no annual spending limit
associated with discount dental plans (although there may be a limit on
the number of annual visits) and many of these plans also cover
pre-existing conditions with absolutely no hassle.
Once you know the ins and outs of both dental insurance and discount
dental plans, you’re ready to move on to the next step and finally make
a decision. If your plan is through an employer, make sure to ask your
co-workers about their experience with the dental options offered at
your work. Many times they’ll be more than willing to share their
opinion with you – good or bad. You may also want to get in contact
with the human resources manager at your place of employment, and
inquire about their personal recommendations, too.
After you have a list of possible plans and dentists to choose from,
it’s time to call some local offices and get the facts there. Don’t be
afraid to ask about any restrictions, limitations, and exact procedures
that are performed there – if you’re going to trust your dental health
with the office, it’s important that you know exactly what they have to
provide. If you don’t like what you hear from one place, move onto the
next – there are plenty of other dentist offices out there. However, if
you are satisfied with what you hear, don’t be afraid to set up a
consultation appointment – many offices offer consultations completely
for free. Here you’ll be able to see the office in person, and talk
with the dentist and assistants face to face. If there is anything here
that is not up to your expectations don’t be afraid to move on and look
elsewhere. In the case that you are still not decided about the exact
plan or dentist you want to use, ask for some brochures or pamphlets
from the office –often times they’ll have some information handy that
may help you make that final decision.