Although you may already have health insurance, many times it may not include any dental coverage. Although this is a sad fact of health insurance policies, you can get separate dental coverage for you or your family. Dental insurance rates vary depending on the coverage you want and who you want covered in your policy, but they are nevertheless important in the process of finding the right policy.
Dental insurance companies offer a great many choices when it comes to dental insurance policies. Your coverage can depend on what your needs are. If you just want to pay for annual exams, you can get a dental insurance quote for basic care. However, you may want to be prepared for any accidents or dental problems that may come your family’s way. More advanced and complex dental insurance plans are available.
Dental insurance quotes from several companies will give you a good idea of the average price and coverage you can get. Dental insurance can come in individual, group, or family coverage. Your needs will fit into one of these categories. A dental insurance company will be able to help you decide what you need, based on what care you will require and what your budget will allow.
Because dental insurance coverage is not always included in health insurance, many people feel daunted by having to purchase another policy for a health-related issue. However, you can easily get dental insurance quotes online and speak with dental insurance company representatives who will help you understand what your dental insurance rates and coverage will be.
Many of our dental insurance plans have next day benefits including vision and prescription. Remember, buying dental insurance does not have to be a painful process. Finding the right value in individual dental insurance and family dental insurance is an important step in purchasing affordable dental insurance health care coverage.
Both types of dental plans (dental insurance and discount dental plans) have advantages and disadvantages and one size does not fit everyone. Keeping this in mind is an important rule when you shop for the dental plan that best fits your needs.
Our dental web site is very clear if you are selecting a dental insurance plan or a dental discount plan. We understand that there are many dental plan web sites popping-up all over the internet, claiming to offer “dental insurance” when in fact they do not and are not licensed to offer a dental insurance plan.
If you find a site that says they offer dental insurance, they are “required” to show their insurance license information on the web site, as noted at the bottom of this page. If they don’t, then report them to your local state department of insurance. If you find a dental web site stating they offer “dental insurance” and in fact they do not, then take the opportunity to report that site to the search engine you found them on.
If you have any dental insurance plan questions please feel free to contact our office during regular business hours. You will find our licensed insurance agents ready to assist you. Our entire staff is licensed to offer, sell and service dental insurance. Always ask to speak with a licensed insurance agent. Ask them if they are licensed. Full disclosure is our guarantee…
Dental Insurance – Indemnity
This is the plan where you choose your own dentist. Sometimes it is referred to as private dental insurance. This type of dental insurance plan pays the dental office (dentist) on a traditional fee-for-service basis. A monthly premium is paid by the client and/or the employer to an insurance company, which then reimburses the dental office (dentist) for the services rendered.
An insurance company usually pays between 50% – 80% of the dental office (dentist) fees for a covered procedures; the remaining 20% – 50% is paid by the client. These plans often have a pre-determined or set deductible amount which varies from plan to plan. Indemnity plans also can limit the amount of services covered within a given year and pay the dentist based on a variety of fee schedules. Some typical features of these plans:
* High deductibles before coverage begins (well-designed plans don’t apply the deductible to preventive services)
* Probationary periods on certain procedures that last up to a year
* Annual dollar limit on benefits
* Chose your own dentist
* Your average monthly cost: $15 to $25
* Companies selling these plans are regulated by state insurance departments.
Dental Insurance – PPO
Another true dental insurance plan, a Preferred provider organizations ( PPO) falls somewhere between an indemnity plan and a dental HMO. This plan allows a particular group of patients to receive dental care from a defined panel of dentists.
The participating dentist agrees to charge less than usual fees to this specific patient base, providing savings for the plan purchaser. If the patient chooses to see a dentist who is not designated as a “preferred provider,” that patient may be required to pay a greater share of the fee-for-service.
A group of dentists agrees to provide services at a deeply discounted rate, giving you substantial savings — as long as you stay in their network. Unlike the more restrictive DHMO, though, you can go out of network and still receive some benefits. Some typical features of these plans:
* Monthly premiums
* Annual dollar cap
* You must stay within the approved network of dentists or pay higher deductibles and co-payments
* Your average monthly cost: $20-25
* Companies selling these plans are regulated by state insurance departments.
Dental Insurance – HMO Network
These insurance plans, also known as “capitation plans,” operate like their medical HMO cousins. This type of dental plan provides a comprehensive dental care to enrolled patients through designated provider office (dentist). A Dental Health Maintenance Organization (DHMO) is a common example of a capitation plan.
The dentist is paid on a per capita (per person) basis rather than for actual treatment provided. Participating dentists receive a fixes monthly fee based on the number of patients assigned to the office. In addition to premiums, client co-payments may be required for each visit. Some typical features of these plans:
* Monthly premiums (some require you to prepay a year’s worth)
* Co-payments for office visits
* Free preventive or routine care
* You must select from an approved network of dentists
* May have an initial enrollment fee
* Annual dollar cap
* Your average monthly cost: $5 to $15
* Companies selling these plans are regulated by state insurance departments.
Dental Insurance – Direct Reimbursement Plans
A dental care plan now coming into vogue is the direct reimbursement plan. This is a self-funded benefit plan — not insurance — in which an employer pays for dental care with its own funds, rather than paying premiums to an insurance company or third-party administrator. You, the patient, pay the full amount directly to the dentist, then get a receipt detailing services rendered and the cost, which you show to your employer. The employer reimburses you for part or all of the dental costs, depending on your specific benefits.
Your company might reimburse 100 percent of your first $100 of dental expenses and then 80 percent of the next $500, and 50 percent of the next $2,000, with a total annual maximum benefit of $1,500. Or it might reimburse only 50 percent of your first $1,000, resulting in a $500 yearly cap.
Some typical features of a direct reimbursement plan:
Some typical features of a direct reimbursement plan:
* Neither you nor your employer pay monthly premiums
* Freedom to choose any dentist
* Typical employer cost: depends on the number of employees and
* benefit caps
* Benefits usually capped at $500 to $2,000 annually.
- Collected -
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