Dental Insurance Policies
Most employers provide their employees with medical, dental and vision insurance. There are still some, however, that don't provide dental insurance or provide coverage that really only meets the bare minimum of what you and your family may need. To help offset the cost of dental procedures, you can purchase dental insurance policies from a private carrier to pay anything your regular insurance does not.
In today's world, you could pay anywhere from $300 a year for cleanings and fillings to more than $25,000 if you need to have restorative work or cosmetic work done. Most insurance companies won't even cover restorative or cosmetic dental work, and if they do, you are lucky if they pick up 50% of the bill. Dental insurance outside of your regular plan helps to pay for these expenses and pick up the bill for whatever your insurance does pay. Unfortunately, regular dental insurance through your employer offers fewer benefits every year so it is important to know what options you have.
There are numerous dental insurance policies that you can choose from when you start investigating them and you can read more about each of them at sdlcgs.com. Your regular dental insurance from your employer will be limited on what they cover. You usually can only have a certain amount of visits a year, a few X-rays unless there is extenuating circumstances, and certain treatments. Some insurance carriers won't even pay for porcelain fillings, or will only pay a partial amount, preferring to cover silver fillings which most dentists no longer use. If you have a pre-existing dental condition, the plan may not cover it at all or you may have to wait a certain amount of time to have the condition fixed.
Some employer insurance carriers offer a flexible spending account (FSA) to offset medical bills, including dental bills. These FSA accounts allow you to put a set amount of money from each paycheck aside to use for medical bills, giving you a small savings account on the side dedicated to this use. Usually the money is pre-taxed and as long as it is used for medical benefits you will not have to worry about paying taxes on it. If your company does not offer an FSA plan, then you should consider private dental insurance.
Dental insurance plans are available to you for a reasonable fee and include the following:
Indemnity plans - these plans let you keep your current dentist and are usually based on a fee-for-service structure. There are co-pays and limitations with this type of dental policy.
Self-insurance plan - this type of plan is similar to the indemnity plan, but you may have to use a dentist they choose.
Closed Panel Plan - you will have to use a certain group of dentists and facilities.
Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) - you will be able to get dental care at a reduced cost, but is limited to a group of dentists they designate.
If you need to get additional dental insurance, consider a private dental insurance policy to supplement what you already have. With this type of insurance you can finally get the dental work you need completed.