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Get the Most Out of Your Dental Benefits
Dental visits aren't just for cavities and #teethcleaning anymore. During a check-up, your dental hygienist and dentist assess the overall health of your mouth and gums. #Brushing and #flossing are key to your #dentalhealth. So is choosing the right dental coverage. While dental insurance doesn’t command the attention that medical insurance does, it also can have significant implications for your pocketbook. You know exactly what I mean if you have the most common type of health insurance (more on that later) and have ever needed a procedure such as a crown or root canal.
Do my dental benefits roll over from year to year?
While the end of the year is typically busy for most, it is worthwhile to make an appointment to see your dentist. At the end of the year, your dental insurance benefits will expire. If you haven’t been to the dentist much this year, it may be a good time to schedule a few appointments and make use of the benefits you’re paying for. Dental #procedures can be expensive, even with insurance. You don’t want to be spending more than you have to for dental procedures. Using your insurance by the end of the year can save you hundreds of dollars or more. Most insurance plans run on a calendar year vs. a fiscal year. At the end of #December, the benefits you have attached to your dental insurance plan are lost. By making appointments before the end of the year, you can save a significant amount of money.
Because #insurance companies make money from people who don’t use their benefits, most are not actively telling their clients to use their insurance by the end of the year. Many times, insurance companies count on these clients to let their benefits go unused. Insurance pays out an annual maximum that costs them money every year. When patients don’t use up their yearly maximum when they need it, the insurance company doesn’t have to pay that money. Be sure to check with your insurance company to know what benefits you have remaining and try to use them by the end of the year.
How can I maximize my dental benefits before the year is over?
If you need more extensive dental treatments involving multiple visits, the end of the year is the perfect time to get started. This is especially true if you’ve already met your deductible and haven’t hit your annual maximum. Once your deductible is paid, your out-of-pocket expenses can decrease dramatically, making it an ideal situation for larger dental treatments. If you’re getting close to your annual maximum, your Forney dentist can help create a plan to maximize your #benefits by splitting your #treatment between this year and next, allowing you to use the benefits you have remaining this year and take advantage of your renewed benefits after the new year.
What are some of the procedures that will use my dental benefits?
Dental procedures covered by insurance policies are typically grouped into three categories of coverage: preventive, basic and major. Most dental plans cover 100% of preventive care such as annual or semi-annual office visits for cleaning, X-rays and sealants. Basic procedures are treatment for gum disease, extractions, fillings, and root canals, with deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance determining the patient’s out-of-pocket expenses. Most policies cover 70% to 80% of these procedures, with patients paying the remainder. Major procedures such as crowns, bridges, inlays and dentures are typically only covered at a high co-payment, with the patient paying more out-of-pocket expenses than other procedures. Every policy differs in how procedures are categorized as preventive, basic and major, so it is important to understand what is covered when comparing policies. Some policies group root canals as major procedures, while others treat them as basic procedures and cover much more of the cost.
Get the Most Out of Your Dental Benefits
Dental visits aren't just for cavities and #teethcleaning anymore. During a check-up, your dental hygienist and dentist assess the overall health of your mouth and gums. #Brushing and #flossing are key to your #dentalhealth. So is choosing the right dental coverage. While dental insurance doesn’t command the attention that medical insurance does, it also can have significant implications for your pocketbook. You know exactly what I mean if you have the most common type of health insurance (more on that later) and have ever needed a procedure such as a crown or root canal.
Do my dental benefits roll over from year to year?
While the end of the year is typically busy for most, it is worthwhile to make an appointment to see your dentist. At the end of the year, your dental insurance benefits will expire. If you haven’t been to the dentist much this year, it may be a good time to schedule a few appointments and make use of the benefits you’re paying for. Dental #procedures can be expensive, even with insurance. You don’t want to be spending more than you have to for dental procedures. Using your insurance by the end of the year can save you hundreds of dollars or more. Most insurance plans run on a calendar year vs. a fiscal year. At the end of #December, the benefits you have attached to your dental insurance plan are lost. By making appointments before the end of the year, you can save a significant amount of money.
Because #insurance companies make money from people who don’t use their benefits, most are not actively telling their clients to use their insurance by the end of the year. Many times, insurance companies count on these clients to let their benefits go unused. Insurance pays out an annual maximum that costs them money every year. When patients don’t use up their yearly maximum when they need it, the insurance company doesn’t have to pay that money. Be sure to check with your insurance company to know what benefits you have remaining and try to use them by the end of the year.
How can I maximize my dental benefits before the year is over?
If you need more extensive dental treatments involving multiple visits, the end of the year is the perfect time to get started. This is especially true if you’ve already met your deductible and haven’t hit your annual maximum. Once your deductible is paid, your out-of-pocket expenses can decrease dramatically, making it an ideal situation for larger dental treatments. If you’re getting close to your annual maximum, your Forney dentist can help create a plan to maximize your #benefits by splitting your #treatment between this year and next, allowing you to use the benefits you have remaining this year and take advantage of your renewed benefits after the new year.
What are some of the procedures that will use my dental benefits?
Dental procedures covered by insurance policies are typically grouped into three categories of coverage: preventive, basic and major. Most dental plans cover 100% of preventive care such as annual or semi-annual office visits for cleaning, X-rays and sealants. Basic procedures are treatment for gum disease, extractions, fillings, and root canals, with deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance determining the patient’s out-of-pocket expenses. Most policies cover 70% to 80% of these procedures, with patients paying the remainder. Major procedures such as crowns, bridges, inlays and dentures are typically only covered at a high co-payment, with the patient paying more out-of-pocket expenses than other procedures. Every policy differs in how procedures are categorized as preventive, basic and major, so it is important to understand what is covered when comparing policies. Some policies group root canals as major procedures, while others treat them as basic procedures and cover much more of the cost.