Why Have Dental Insurance?
Discount or Referral Plans
Traditional and Indemnity Insurance
Capitation Dental Plans (DHMO's)
What Does My Plan Cover?
Preferred and Exclusive Providers
Get the Most out of Your Insurance
Choosing a Plan
Where Can I get Insurance?
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Choosing a Plan for Your Family Choosing Can be Difficult Deciding on which type of plan is right for your family can be difficult. You need to look into each type and be knowledgeable about what they offer. Then take a realistic look at what you expect the needs of your family to be in the coming year. Here are some things to consider. Can I afford it? How affordable is the insurance? The monthly premium can be a big deciding factor for many families. And while it should not be your only deciding factor it is one worth consideration. Choosing what your policy covers can affect the cost of the premium. If you are a single person you may feel you do not want the major expenses covered. Preventive care may be all you need. If you have kids and can’t afford a policy covering the whole family can you get one that just covers the kids? What kind of deductible is required and is it an individual or family deductible? Or both? What is it going to cost me just to walk into the office? After I reach my deductible what percentage of services are covered? What will it cost me if I have to choose a provider outside the company’s list? Meeting Your Needs Another area that you should be questioning is the services offered by your plan. If your dentist can not handle all the problems that arise, what other providers are on the list? What if you need a specialist? Is the selection of services great enough to cover your family? If you have to choose from a pre-selected list of providers – how close is he to you? Do you need permission to see a specialist or have certain things done? Does it provide caps for how much you will pay out of pocket? Is there a cap on what they pay yearly? Are prescriptions covered? Be Choosey This is especially important in a PPO or DHMO where, as we said, your quality of care could be affected by the lack of money coming into the dentist office. If your dentist is paid a flat monthly fee you really want to ask around. Find out how the company offering your insurance is rated by an independent government agency. Ask your friend and co-workers who use the program what they liked or disliked about the company and any dentists on the lists. Ask the insurance company how they choose their dentists – what is their criteria? Ask the dentist themselves what insurance companies they work with and why? Which ones do they refuse to work with? Who Calls the Shots? Know who makes the decisions – you, the dentist or the insurance company. Some plans require the dentist to choose the Least Expensive Alternative Treatment (LEAT) no matter what you or the dentist want. In this case, if you choose anything else, you pay. Can you go outside the acceptable providers in a PPO or DHMO if you need to? What Does the Future Hold? When picking an insurance plan for you or your family you will want to consider what your future needs will be. Your insurance type will depend on whether you are a single individual, a couple or a family with children. Do you want mostly preventive care or does someone in your family need extensive treatment. Keep in mind; some plans do not cover pre-existing problems. Do you have teens that will need braces? Do you want to have total choice over providers and treatment? Do you want the basics or all the bells and whistles? These are all things you need to decide before signing on the dotted line. feedback@DentalInsuranceLocators.com |
