Dental insurance can help to save you a lot of money and stress, so it’s a great thing to have for yourself and your family. Did you know that insurance plans provide many benefits that expire at the end of each year? Find out what they are so you don’t waste your dental insurance benefits!
The Structure of the Plan
When you have dental insurance, it’s important to find out how your plan is structured so you can ensure that you make the most of your coverage. Many companies use a 100-80-50 plan which means that they offer 100% coverage for preventative care, 80% coverage for basic treatments and only 50% coverage for more serious procedures.
This means that if you have your teeth examined and cleaned on schedule, it would be 100% covered. And if your dentist spots a cavity that needs to be filled, your insurance company would pay 80% of the cost of the procedure. But if you delay regular exams or treatment until your tooth requires a root canal or extraction, both of which are much more serious procedures than a filling, you would only receive 50% coverage and 50% of the expenses would come out of your own pocket.
It’s easy to see why practicing good preventative care and not delaying treatment can help you make the most of your dental insurance!
Using All Your Exams and Cleanings
One of the simplest ways to begin to get the most out of your dental insurance plan is to find out how many exams and cleanings are covered each year. Most dentists recommend cleanings every 6 months for healthy patients and most insurance plans cover two per year, so if you follow your dentist’s advice you’ll be making full use of the coverage your plan provides. Win, win!
Maximum Payout Limits
Insurance plans typically offer a maximum payout limit that expires at the end of each year. This is essentially like a bank account full of money just for dental procedures that is emptied every year if it’s not used. Call your insurance company or check the paperwork to learn what the maximum payout is for your specific plan so that you can make sure you don’t waste your dental insurance benefits at the end of the year.
Ask Your Dentist What’s Recommended
Another great way to make sure you don’t waste your dental insurance is to talk with your dentist about the optimum level of treatment and care they’d recommend for your teeth. Write out a list or ask them to print one out for you and then compare it with your dental plan’s coverage to see which things on the list are covered. Dental insurance plans are designed to help you receive the best dental care with the least out-of-pocket expense, so make the most of it before it runs out!
Call our Perryville Dental Office to make an appointment with a dentist who may be able to help you find out more about this topic, and improve your oral health.