Is dental insurance really required?
Zillions of people make resolutions at the beginning of the New Year, and mostly involve improving their health. Dental health plays an important role in the overall health, even if the best dental insurance plans are mostly considered an add-on. Even though people’s health insurance might treat it as separate, dental health plays a massive role and is not something that should be neglected.
How Does Dental Insurance Work?
Just like health insurance, the best dental insurance plans are the ones that people should know how to use it to their advantage. If one has a dentist already, then they can choose a plan that considers them in-network for the best coverage. If one doesn’t have a dentist yet, they can choose full coverage dental insurance and then select a dentist that is in-network. Most plans will allow one to see a dentist that is out-of-network, but the patient can end up paying a much higher amount. When the patient considers the fact that he/she is paying a dental premium as well as the higher costs, in such cases an out-of-network provider will usually mean they lose money by choosing to purchase dental insurance plans. Thus, one should always choose an in-network dentist to make a supplemental dental insurance plan work for you.
The monthly premiums will always depend on the insurance company, location, and the plan a person chooses. Mostly, the monthly premium will be around $50 a month, which means that one is spending $600 on dental costs each year even if they don’t get any work done.
Orthodontic Insurance
Orthodontic insurance is very beneficial for those who need braces. Many people nowadays choose to seek orthodontic treatment because it takes care of several different oral problems. Orthodontic insurance refers to insurance plans which offer coverage especially for orthodontic treatment. There are many medical insurance plans that do not typically include dental coverage. It is most often a supplemental plan that one needs to purchase separately. When it comes to orthodontics and braces it is important to know what dental insurance covers and what different coverage exists for both adults and children.
For children under 18, insurance companies must offer an option to purchase dental insurance that meets the criteria of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) when anyone is purchasing health insurance. But whether or not anyone purchase it is up to them. There is also no ACA tax penalty if the children don’t have dental insurance.
Dental policies for children differ from state to state and also cover different services. For instance, some plans pay the entire cost for sealants, topical fluoride and preventive care but the patient’s parents are also partially responsible for fillings.
Dental insurance for braces
As far as children are concerned, dental insurance for braces might be necessary in some states, but this does not cover every situation. For example, braces might be covered if they are important to improve a child’s ability to chew his food properly.
As far as adults are concerned, the ACA does not require insurance companies to offer dental insurance, even as more adult patients seek orthodontia than ever before. Some adults seek braces treatment so they can better chew their food, but most of them are primarily concerned about the way their teeth look. Dental insurance plans might cover orthodontics for adults, but if the treatment is required for purely cosmetic reasons it is usually not covered.
What plans cover orthodontics?
In some cases, family plans and private individuals offer dental insurance for braces. Employer-sponsored dental insurance plans might contain this optional coverage. If anyone has discovered that their current policy does not cover orthodontics, they can supplement it with a more inclusive dental plan.
Some usual plans include the following orthodontic services for children and adults:
- Orthodontic treatment
- Retainers
- Examinations
- Pre- and post-orthodontic treatment
But not all stand-alone plan will cover braces and Invisalign, so dentists recommend that one should confirm whether these procedures are covered before anyone purchases their policy. Dental insurance that includes coverage for orthodontics and braces might be something worth researching for, especially if the patient’s coverage is for multiple family members, in which case the costs can add up very quickly.