Dental Insurance For Your Family
How To Find An Affordable Insurance Plan
There are important things and questions to consider in finding affordable dental insurance to effectively offset increasing dental costs for you and your family.
There are many things to consider when trying to find affordable dental insurance. The task can sometimes become frustrating trying to choose a dental insurance plan for yourself or family, as some employers do not offer dental insurance to their employees. Having dental insurance that is not only affordable, but also covers a wide range of dental treatments and procedures, can effectively offset increasing dental costs which often deter people from going to the dentist.
When trying to locate an affordable dental insurance plan, it’s important to consider what is covered vs. what is not and at what percentages, and how it might relate to your personal dental needs and financial situation. Some insurance plans only pay for preventive care (routine cleanings, doctor’s exam, fluoride, sealants, etc). Other insurance plans pay for preventive, basic restorative (fillings, root canals and simple extractions); and major (crowns, bridges, dentures, partials, surgical extractions, dental implants, orthodontics) procedures.
Understanding what is meant by “Usual, Customary and Reasonable” is a topic many people find confusing. Usual, Customary and Reasonable means that the insurance company has a set price that it will allow for dental procedures covered on the plan. It does not matter what the doctors' fees are for a procedure, but only what the insurance company chooses to cover. For example: If your dentist charges $75.00 for a dental cleaning, but your dental insurance company only allows $65.00 for dental cleanings because that is the UCR fee that they have set, you can expect to receive a bill for the difference.
Some insurance plans require participants to see an In-Network dentist, and in those cases you would not be charged the difference of $10.00, because the dentist has contracted with the insurance company to write off the difference. If your insurance plan allows you to see the dentist of your choice, or an Out-of-Network provider, you will likely be charged the difference between the two fees. You will have to decide how much of a price tag you will place on quality dental care vs. affordable dental care.
Questions to consider when choosing dental insurance:
Will I be able to pick my own dentist? This is an important question to ask since some insurance plans restrict your choice of dentists to those contracted with the insurance company. If you choose an In-Network insurance plan, ask for a list of contracted dentists in your area so you can decide if there is a dentist you would consider seeing.
If you are trying to find a dentist or already have a dentist you wish to continue seeing, ask what dental insurance plans he/she participates in as a contracted provider; otherwise you may need to choose an insurance plan that allows you to see an Out-of-Network Dentist.
What will or will not be covered? It is important to determine what dental procedures will or will not be covered, but also by what percentages. Some insurance companies pay Preventive dental care at 100% UCR (see UCR above), while others pay at lower percentage amounts. Basic Restorative is often covered at 80% UCR minus any annual deductible, but this also varies. Major dental coverage is often covered at 50% UCR, but some dental insurance plans cover it at a higher percentage rate.
What will my out-of-pocket expense be? Dental insurance premiums provided by an employer are often the best deal, with personal out-of-pocket expense being much less than if a family chooses to pay for dental care without any dental insurance. If shopping for dental insurance independently, it’s important to consider the quality of dental care you wish vs. the cheapest or most affordable insurance.
