Options to Finding Affordable Dental Coverage
By: Carole Fleck; Source: AARP Bulletin Date Posted: 2006-09-15 14:52:00-04:00
The choices for coverage are limited but slowly growing.
Individual policies are generally more expensive than group policies provided by employers, says Evelyn Ireland, executive director of the National Association of Dental Plans (NADP) in Dallas. Annual premiums average from about $206 to $480 for one person; most deductibles are around $50. Couples must buy two individual policies; family plans usually cover three or more people.
The two basic types of individual plans are:
Dental HMOs: Dental HMO plans are the most affordable, and consumers are required to go to dentists in the plan's network. The plans typically pay 100 percent for preventive care, 60 to 80 percent for fillings and 50 percent for extensive procedures like root canals. HMOs don't cap the cost of treatment they will pay in a year.
Dental PPOs: Preferred provider organizations typically pay the same rates as HMOs for preventive care and treatment. But most PPOs cap costs they will pay for in a year, typically from $1,000 to $1,500. Consumers who go to dentists in the PPO network will be reimbursed at a higher rate than those who use out-of-network dentists.
Dental indemnity plans similar to traditional health insurance exist but are not widely available.
Dental discount plans, which cost about $180 a year, are also becoming more popular. But they are not insurance policies and vary by state. "If a cleaning is $40," says NADP's Ireland, "you may pay $30 with a discount plan."
Membership associations, credit unions, professional associations and other groups sometimes offer members group coverage. Members pay the entire premium but usually get better coverage than individual plans provide.
Individual plans are offered by some companies, among them Aetna Dental Access, CompBenefits Dental, Delta Dental Insurance Co. (which administers the AARP Dental Insurance Plan), Dental Care Advantage, GE Wellness Plan, Patriot Plan and SafeGuard Dental and Vision. Not all of them cover periodontal services.
The NADP offers a free directory of dental plans at www.nadp.org.
Other sites with information on individual policies and plans:
www.deltainsurance.com
www.dentalplans.com
www.ehealthinsurance.com
www.insuranceco.com
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