Dental health is key to your overall well being. Buying insurance is the easiest way to afford the dental care you may need. You don’t want to get caught up in a mess of expensive bills because of an emergency. Dental issues aren’t something that can be put on the back burner.
If you are looking for a dental insurance plan, here are the crucial details you need to know before choosing one.
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Waiting Periods
Some plans offer a waiting period before they cover a procedure. During this period the insurance company will not pay for specific procedures. The waiting period will depend on the plan you have and can last anywhere from a few months to a year.
You should be able to see what procedures are covered immediately and which require a waiting period. Once the waiting period is over, you receive the full benefits of the insurance plan. The reason for this period is because insurance companies do not want customers who are purchasing the insurance to avail the service just because they have a bunch of dental procedures they need to be covered. These insurance companies fear being dropped soon after.
Still, not all insurance plans have a waiting period, so ensure you read the plan clearly to see what you are being offered. If this is something that you don’t want then ensure you opt for a plan without waiting periods.
Maximum Benefit
You need to be able to understand your insurance benefits otherwise you won’t be able to put them to good use. An annual maximum is the amount of money the insurance company offers over 12 months. Each year, your annual maximum automatically resets.
Once you have used up your annual maximum, any remaining dental costs you rack up will fall on you until the reset. If you don’t use up the annual maximum in the 12 months, the unused money does not roll over to the next year.
What Procedures Are Covered?
You may think a dental plan would cover all dental procedures, though this is not necessarily the case. You will need to check each plan to see what procedures it is willing to cover. Most dental plans refuse to cover cosmetic procedures, such as clear aligner treatment and teeth whitening. If you go to the dentist and need a procedure that your insurance does not cover then you will need to pay for this out of pocket.
There tends to be different levels for procedures. This means if you have fairly good oral health, you will only need to opt for a preventative level, whereas if you have a history of dental issues then you will opt for a higher level that covers more procedures. Knowing the state of your health and its corresponding procedures will make you want to compare quotes to give yourself a better understanding of the different benefits a provider is offering. It will help you to make a more informed decision if you have a good understanding of your previous dental health records.
Deductibles
A deductible is the minimum amount that must be paid before the insurance company will pay for anything. Once the deductible has been met, the insurance may only cover a percentage of the remaining bill. If you pay the rest of this, it is called coinsurance.
In And Out-Of Network
Insurance companies have a list of in-network and out-of-network dentists. By choosing to stay in-network, you pay less as the insurance company covers more. If you opt out of the network, you may end up paying more out of pocket.
This all depends on whether you have found a great dentist and want to stick with them. If you’re not fussed either way then you have wider options cost-wise. Depending on the insurance policy and the dentist, you may sometimes need to pay at the dental office and then have the insurance company reimburse you. In this case, you will need to be prepared to pay out of pocket after your visit. Some dental offices will file your claims for you, so check with them to see if this is something that they are willing to do.
If you currently have a dentist that you love, be sure to check that they accept insurance.
There are plenty of factors to consider when getting a dental insurance plan. You need to ensure it will provide you with the right amount of coverage for you. Dental insurance plans are much more financially beneficial than not having one as having to pay for procedures yourself can burn a serious hole in your pocket. Be sure to do your research and keep in mind the important details mentioned above.
