Insurance World

Purchasing a family dental insurance plan provides you and your family two important benefits:

• Better oral health for the entire family as most plans pay 100% of the preventive service fees such as cleaning every six months. This encourages the family to visit the dentist for regular check ups and cleaning treatments. Prevention is half the battle!

• Generate more savings because the dental insurance company pays a certain percentage of dental services for minor and major procedures.

Here are six questions to guide you in the selection of the right dental insurance plan for you and your family.

1. Does the plan allow you to pick your own dentist?
Some dental insurance carriers give you bigger discounted rates provided you use their network of dentists. If your favorite dentist is not part of the network, the dental insurance plan may not cover the treatment. You should consider paying extra for a plan, which allows you and your family to go to your preferred dentist.

2. Are there restrictions when it comes to choosing the best treatment options? Some insurance plans put a cap on the number of treatments or limit the amount paid for a condition. If you or your family has a history of poor dental health care, then you should choose a plan that has few restrictions on this aspect.

3. What is does the plan cover? An ideal dental insurance plan allows for one cleaning treatment every six months, with X-ray and fluoride treatments that come at little or no cost for each member. For the major procedures, some dental plans require you to pay 50 percent of the entire bill. If your family has a history of good dental health care, then you may want to negotiate for lesser coverage when it comes to the major procedures.

4. Which family members are covered by the family insurance plan? Most dental insurance carriers cover the spouse and dependent children, from birth through 18. Some exceptions are given for children up to the ages of 22 if the child is a full time student, and dependent on the principal for support.

5. Is there built in flexibility in scheduling dental appointments? Some inexpensive dental insurance plans limit when you can come in for dental treatment. Check to ensure that these scheduled appointments do not inconvenience you or your family.

6. How much savings does this plan generate? Whether you and your spouse decide to purchase a family dental insurance plan, or avail of your employers’ sponsored plan – you will still be able to generate savings, for you are not paying for the entire procedure.

Paying for health care can consume a large portion of an individual or family’s disposable income. Some costs are non-negotiable but there are ways to lower the amount you spend on insuring your health.

Deductibles

You may be able to pay a lower premium by paying a higher deductible. This is particularly true if you are insured as an individual rather than through your employer. If you choose this option it is wise to place a portion of the money saved on your premium into an account which is used solely to pay your deductible.

Co-pay amount

Many companies have lower premium policies available for those willing to make a higher co-payment when they visit the doctor. Opting for a higher co-payment can be especially advantageous for people who don’t often visit the doctor.

Generic drugs

Generic drugs are manufactured to the same standards as brand name drugs. Choosing to have a prescription filled with a generic drug can offer substantial savings over having it filled with a brand name drug.

Healthy living programs

Many insurance plans offer pre-emptive health care services which are entirely funded by the insurance company. Employee plans often do this as a way of avoiding paying for higher priced services later on down the line. Programs may include free immunizations, mammograms, prostate exams and general physicals. Paying a portion of monthly health club dues is also available on a few plans. Be sure to take advantage of these options if possible.

Remember, while health insurance premiums are high the peace of mind brought by knowing you
and your family are insured is priceless. Gathering as many quotes as possible is the best way to learn and compare companies.

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