When you’re mainly focused on the upcoming holidays, it can be easy to forget about your remaining insurance benefits, both dental and medical. However, if you have remaining benefits, there is no better time than right now to get started using them. Most plans are going to expire once the new year is here, which means all the money you paid into them will be gone.
To learn how to maximize your insurance while there’s still time left (as well as other treatments you may not have expected from a dentist in Bullard) keep reading!
Why Dental Insurance is Use It or Lose It
Unused benefits are not a rare problem in the United States. According to the National Association of Dental Plans, only 2.8 percent of PPO plan participants met or exceeded their annual maximum. Considering the fact that annual maximums, (caps on how much insurance companies will pay to cover dental care costs), typically fall around $1,250 per plan, that’s a lot of people who end up losing money.
For most dental insurance plans, whether they be traditional PPO plans or Flexible Savings Accounts, benefits do not carry over into the next year. That means on January 1st, any benefits or funds you had sitting in your account will be gone. In some instances, FSA dollars may carry over, but it’s often at a discounted rate. That means you’re still losing a chunk of money that could have gone towards maintaining your oral health.
How to Get Started Maximizing
Start by contacting the insurance company directly. You can also ask your employer’s HR manager to gain more details on your plan. In some cases, insurance companies will list out all the remaining benefits you have on their website when you sign into your account. You can also speak with a dental practice employee who handles insurance plans, such as a treatment or insurance coordinator.
Once you know what benefits you have left, you can start building a schedule for when you’ll have them completed. For example, preventive treatments like cleanings, exams, X-rays and fluoride varnishes can be done now, while more extensive treatments like dental crowns can be staggered this year and into the next year. As long as you schedule your treatment plan now, you’ll still have access to the benefits guaranteed to you since the beginning of the year.
Got Leftover Medical Benefits? Consider Sleep Apnea Treatment!
Many people don’t realize this, but dentists can help people with conditions that are covered with medical insurance, rather than dental insurance. This includes treatment for sleep apnea, a sleep disorder that affects people’s ability to get proper rest. CPAP machines and customized dental devices are directly related to oral health because oral structures are responsible for causing sleep disruptions in the first place (blockages in the mouth by the tongue, soft palate or tonsils.)
Don’t let your dental or medical benefits go to waste this year. Schedule an appointment today and get the treatments that you’re entitled too!
About the Author
Dr. Tad Morgan earned his dental degree from the Baylor College of Dentistry. With 1,000 hours of continuing education under his belt, he’s prepared to help patients treat a wide variety of issues they may be having. To learn more about using your insurance benefits before the new year, you can contact him through his website.