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SolveYourProblem
Article Series:
Health Insurance
Dental
Plans for Your Health Insurance
One’s general health includes dental health
and care, as well. Employers and other plan sponsors
offer dental benefits for a variety of reasons and most at
really
great prices. Offering a dental benefits plan makes economic
sense, it helps save money and prevents other health related
costs and expenditures. A frequently overlooked reason for
work related absences or poor work performance is dental disease
and/or discomfort. All those lost days by employees is lost
money for the company.
What
do employers need to do about this? Quality dental benefits
plans can aid in the recruitment and retention of employees,
it is the hardest insurance to find sometimes. Dental is consistently
cited as one of the most sought after employee benefits and
the most inexpensive to both employee and employer to have.
Most people cannot afford regular check-ups, so they have more
issues than those with dental insurance who can be seen for
routine cleanings and check-ups. Most dental needs and treatments
are predictable, non-catastrophic, low cost and low risk, but
expensive if you aren’t covered. Dental disease is most often
preventable; with the exception of damage due to an accident.
Treatment begins with relatively low-cost diagnostic procedures,
such as exams, cleanings, and x-rays. If decay or disease is
detected, the sooner it is treated, the less expensive that
treatment will be and the person is less likely to have any
advanced issues. The dental needs of employees can be very
much overlooked. Group policies can offer most services to
people for very little money per pay period and save on a lot
of time out of work.
There are some important
things to consider before selecting
or changing a dental plan. Some plans require patients to choose
a dentist from a limited list of dentists, so check to see
if your dentist is on the list. If not make sure you get a
recommendation you’re your own dentist or close friend. Sometimes
just telling your dentist that your insurance is making you
leave will prompt them to add that type onto their list of
accepted insurances. Dental plans are typically business arrangements
between an insurance company and an employer, so see what can
be done to have your dentist added. Most plans are designed
to pay only a portion of your dental expenses, with preventive
maintenance being the most covered portion of the plan.
In addition, carefully read a plan and know its limitations,
there may be many services you need that aren’t covered at
all or enough to warrant investment. If a plan doesn't cover
a procedure that is recommended by your dentist, this does
not mean that the treatment isn't appropriate or needed; it
just means they aren’t going to pay. Some plans do not cover
pre-existing dental conditions, such as missing teeth, gingivitis,
and other mouth diseases. Make sure to see if your policy has
these limitations. Even when you and your dentist agree on
the appropriate treatment method for your condition, the contract
provision of the dental plan may only pay a portion, or pay
only for the least expensive alternative treatment as determined
by the insurance company, so you could be forced into a procedure
that won’t be as good and useful to you as time goes on.
Ask yourself the following questions before selecting a new
dental plan:
- Will
you have the ability to chose your own dentist or only
the pre-approved one on a list?
- Who
determines which treatment is good for the patient, the dentist
or insurance company?
- Does
the plan cover all procedures, diagnostic, preventive and
emergency services? Covering things like sealants and fluoride
treatments, which may save patients money in the future. Will
it provide for full-mouth x-rays and major dental work if necessary?
Does the plan cover crowns and bridges, braces, root canals,
oral surgery and treatment of periodontal diseases if those
are needed? Would you be able to get dentures or other dental
devices if need be?
- Will
the plan allow for a referral to a specialist if necessary?
If so, will the dentist be limited to a list of specialists
from which to choose or can you go to anyone?
- How
does the plan provide for emergency treatment, such as abscessed
teeth? What provisions are made for emergency care
when you are away from home and need to be seen right away?
Click here to to view health insurance quotes, compare plans side-by-side and apply for the most affordable health insurance within your budget. I did this myself (June 17, 2011) to change my health insurance policy. Saved me $84 per month (or $1,008 per year). It's my SolveYourProblem recommendation.
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by SolveYourProblem.com
: 2006
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