Many people shopping around for coverage wonder whether dental insurance is worth the monthly premium costs.
Dental coverage works more like a prepayment plan than insurance, protecting your finances from unforeseen catastrophic events. An annual maximum benefit caps claims at deficient levels.
However, all is not lost because most PPO plans have a hidden benefit: the steeply discounted allowed amount negotiated by the insurance company with thousands of members (potential patients).
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Finding Local Dentists That Accept Your Medical Insurance
You might be aware that health insurance sometimes covers dental work when medically necessary, care arising from non-biting accidents, certain diseases, and treatments considered integral to other services included in the plan.
Finding a dentist that accepts your medical insurance is not the most significant challenge if you do not have dental insurance. Getting the claim paid matters far more.
Can Dentists Charge More Than Insurance Allows On EOB?
Not all dental insurance plans work the same way. PPO and EPO designs include a contracted amount that the provider agrees to accept as full payment for covered services.
If your provider charges more than what your plan approves or allows you could have reason to dispute the bill, or you may have to bite the bullet. Your fate depends on several factors.
How To Get Insurance To Pay For Orthognathic Surgery?
Your insurance will not honor claims for corrective jaw surgery unless the orthodontist and oral surgeon convince the issuing company that the procedure is medically necessary.
The oral surgeon should submit a letter to your health insurance before performing the orthognathic surgery.
The orthodontists should submit a letter to your dental insurance to cover the braces needed before and after the surgeon corrects your jaw alignment issues.
Free Dental Insurance for Low-Income & Unemployed Adults
Medicaid provides free dental insurance to low-income children throughout the country and often (not always) extends these benefits to adults over 21, disabled individuals, pregnant women, and seniors dual-eligible with Medicare.
However, the coverage is not uniform, as each state decides whether to support benefits for dental work and which services to include or exclude.
Does Medicare Cover Oral Surgery for Adults?
Seniors and adults with disabilities rely on Medicare to address their health needs. However, the government benefit does not cover dental work by design.
Meanwhile, oral surgeons perform medical and dental procedures billing both types of insurance, so it is natural to ask which operations Medicare Part B or Advantage plans might cover.
Learn how a letter of medical necessity is critical to getting the benefits you need.
What to Do When Dental Insurance Doesn’t Pay | Denied Claims
People with dental insurance often learn the hard way that their plan will deny many claims because the contract contains a long list of exclusions, and sometimes procedures are deemed unnecessary.
The correct course of action after your dental plan denies your claim depends on the reason. Most times, your options are limited because your premiums fund preventive rather than restorative care.
What Happens When You Reach Your Dental Insurance Maximum?
Dental insurance is a misleading term because these plans promote preventive services to help patients maintain good oral health. However, their value quickly fades when you need expensive treatment.
The maximum annual benefit means that patients will have to pay most expenses out-of-pocket because the average limit of $1,500 does not stretch very far. Find ways to cope once you reach to cap.
Dental Treatments that Health Insurance Might Cover
Patients without dental insurance do not have to self-pay for every treatment for their mouth, teeth, and gums.
Sometimes, your healthcare plan can step in and save the day. Medically necessary procedures fall under the medical umbrella and qualify for coverage – with no annual benefit maximums.