Are you looking for dental insurance? Then there are a few important questions to get answered before you make a decision. When you talk to an insurance consultant like those at MBhealth to get these answers, you get help that is customized to your needs and financial situation. Therefore, let’s look at the questions you should be asking an insurance consultant to enable you to make the best choice.
- How much will a plan pay in a given year? This is known as the Annual Maximum. Is that going to be $1500, $2000? Or is it going to be unlimited? Some plans are like that.
- Is there a waiting period? Are you going to be able to use it from Day One? Or do you have to wait six months for a basic service or 12 months for a major service? It would be disappointing to find out that you must wait a year for major service if you need that care right away.
- Is your preferred dentist in network? In other words, can you see your usual dentist or do you have to go to a different practice that is in network so that it is included in your coverage?
Those are the three main questions to get answered up front.
A Detailed Look at the Answers You Need to Make the Right Choice
Let’s look at each of these points in more detail. First, the Annual Maximum.
Annual Maximum: This is the amount that a dental carrier is going to pay per person. The higher that number is, the more you get back from the premium you pay. For example, if you’ve got an Annual Maximum of $1000, that’s not a lot of benefit if you have dental situations that need treatment right now. You could try to push that up to either $1500 or $2000 or unlimited. But then the structure of the plan could be very different. Therefore, you need to consider both sides of this aspect of your coverage. A careful consideration of these factors helps you get more out of your insurance.
Waiting Periods: Waiting periods can be a problem for many people. If you call me to talk about a dental plan, I might ask, “Well, what makes you think about a dental plan?” And you say, “I’m in severe pain right now. I need it checked out.” Obviously, you need a plan with no waiting periods. You need to use it from Day One. If you pick a plan that doesn’t cover any major services for the first 12 months, you’re not going to get much out of your coverage. This can be very frustrating.
Choice of Dentist: To some degree, this is the most important point. When people call me to get dental insurance, I first ask them if they have a dental provider they normally see. If they say yes, that’s an important thing for me to know. I tend to believe that many people will change their primary care doctor before their dentist.
If I’m selling you a plan and you can’t go to your preferred dentist, your insurance coverage is pointless. You should ask your dentist if they have a dental plan they prefer. Do they like UnitedHealthcare or Delta or Cigna or some other carrier? I can provide you with the best service by matching you with a plan both you and your dentist will be happy with. This is an important part of the service I provide. However, if you don’t have a dentist you prefer, then we can look at any plan that’s out there.
Preventative care: Preventative care is a big deal. Everybody asks me about preventative care, and I always say this: If you get your two routine preventative visits per calendar year, typically they’re paid at a hundred percent. That’s when most people break even on their dental plans. It’s when you have that root canal or that crown—that’s when you want your dental plan to be there for you.
Get the Right Help When Navigating Dental Insurance Plans
Dental insurance should provide you with some security and the right benefits. That’s what I can help you with. When you are ready to talk about dental coverage, give us a call at (314) 544-5400 and let us help you protect your smile.
