If You Have Dental Insurance Benefits, Read This Before January!

Did you know that every single year, millions of people with dental insurance leave benefits that they paid for on the table? This is mainly because the benefits they were once entitled to are set to expire, typically on the first day of the new year. If you’ve been paying a monthly premium and still have treatments to take advantage of, you should get scheduled today! There are many benefits to maximizing insurance before the end of the year; here are a few you should consider.

You Can Make the Most of Your Deductible

The deductible refers to the amount of money that needs to be paid out-of-pocket before insurance covers any treatments. If you’ve already met your deductible, which is typically low for dental insurance plans, it’s good for the rest of the year. Once your plan resets on January 1st, you’ll have to pay it again before you can get treatments covered. That’s why getting them done before this reset date is so important.

Save Money By Starting Before the New Year

It’s very common for dentists to schedule complex treatments that require multiple visits to complete at the end of the year. This is because it allows patients to maximize their coverage as they end the new year, before major changes to their insurance plan actually occur. For example, if you need a filling or crown to repair your tooth, you can make sure that you’re only paying the co-pays that you’re used to paying before your insurance company has a chance to change them. The same applies for the percentage of coverage or types of coverage the insurance company might provide. Getting your treatments done now means you lock in those prices ahead of time, and potentially save in the process.

Don’t Let Premiums Go to Waste

When you pay a monthly premium, you’re able to access the coverage that your dental insurance provides, including your most important forms of care to maintain long-term oral health. This includes basic cleanings, exams and X-rays, all of which play a big role in making sure that you have no underlying problems and that you’re brushing and flossing enough at home.

If you only visited once this year for an exam and cleaning and you’re aware that your plan offers two exams/cleanings per year, not getting it done only wastes your premium. With routine care, you can even save on potential restorative and emergency dental care in the future.

How Dental Insurance Covers Care

Dental insurance typically covers treatments in the following way:

• Preventive Care – exams, cleanings, X-rays, usually at or close to 100 percent
• Minor Restorative Care – fillings and root canal therapy, typically about 80 percent
• Major Restorative Care – crowns, bridges, dentures, commonly about 50 percent

While every plan is different and you should look at the details of it yourself, it’s important to know how much you could be saving on dental care if you actually utilized your benefits. If your goal is to maintain positive oral health and save money doing so, don’t wait; schedule an appointment with a dentist today!

About Renu Dental

Dr. Jensen and Dr. Applequist want to do everything they can to make your visit a comfortable and productive one. Part of that is making sure you maximize any and all benefits that you have, scheduling your treatments in a way that makes the most of these benefits, and explaining your coverage to you upfront so there are no surprises when it’s time to pay for care. To schedule an appointment or learn which insurance companies they are in-network with, you can contact them through their website.