Dental Insurance & Why It’s Important For Your Family
Nowadays, it seems like everything is getting more expensive. The cost of dental insurance can be especially difficult to pin down. If you are searching for the best deal, read on to learn what kinds of discounts dental plans offer and how much they typically charge.
Today, we work overtime to save up so that we don’t have to go into debt just for the necessities in life: food, energy bills, housing loan payments and other expenses. But this new trend of dental costs has been overlooked so far.
Your dentist is charged a set amount for the treatment, but your health insurance company charges you a premium based on your income, which is an additional amount that should not be ignored. It’s important to make sure that you don’t make these figures any higher than that.
The Dental Insurance Coverage Numbers You Should Know About
The average American spends at least one-third of their paycheck on out-of-pocket medical costs. There are many people who are paying more than 70 percent out-of-pocket. Sometimes, these dental insurance coverage numbers can be confusing.
For example, an individual’s health care premium may be around $200 a month for dental coverage. But after all the premiums are added together, individuals and families end up paying between $500 to $1,000 dollars for dental insurance.
Here is some more information about average dental costs:
The percentage of how much company benefits are covering in your dental insurance plan varies from year to year. For example; if your employer only pays 60% of the overall premium and you have to pay 40%, this percentage can change from year to year depending on the economy.
The average Dental Insurance coverage number is $1,200 per year for general cleaning, check-up and x-rays. The dental insurance coverage numbers average out to be about $600 to $700 dollars a year for each family member, depending on the age of the child. This is why it is so important for you to keep up with your dental hygiene and oral care at home.
Dental Insurance Providers
One way that you can help lower your dental insurance costs is to work with different providers that offer affordable premiums. Some providers offer special discounts if you pay upfront and use the services less frequently. For example: some orthodontic coverage may cover 50% of the cost for braces.
You may be able to save money on your premiums by switching dental insurance providers every year. If you have one provider that offers a 51% discount for family coverage, and another provider that offers a 52% discount, switch providers so you can get the highest discount. The money you save on the dental plan premium will add up over time and can be used towards other expenses.
Preventive Dental Care
Another way to reduce the amount of your out-of-pocket expenses is through a preventive dental care plan, in which you pay an annual fee and receive routine dental care at no extra charge. The fee is a little higher than the average dental costs, but it’s much lower than paying for dental services as they are billed.
Some preventive plans offer additional benefits such as diagnostic x-rays and lower cost cleaning. You can save a lot of money by attending these preventative care plan appointments instead of waiting until problems arise.
If you have dental issues, which will require orthodontic treatment later on, it’s important to have the resources to pay for it up front. This is one reason why many people choose flexible spending accounts because they don’t need to pay up front and can save their money for other expenses like braces and retainers.
What Are The Costs of Your Dental Insurance?
How much does dental insurance cost can be a difficult question to answer. People are used to going to the dentist once, or twice a year, so they don’t realize that they need regular maintenance. And then there are those who think they don’t need dental insurance for their children due to their good grades in school. But parents should know that your child cannot attend school without brushing and flossing habits being established at an early age. For children younger than 18, braces will prevent the cutting and cavity-causing bacteria from destroying teeth needed for learning and growth.
Dental costs can be confusing because not all plans cover everything equally. How much does dental insurance cost can vary depending on what the individual needs. Basic preventive care visits, x-rays, and cleanings are usually covered. But if you need orthodontic treatment, it will be more expensive to pay out of pocket.
How to Save Money on Dental Plans
Dental plans are complicated and can be difficult for a consumer to navigate without professional advice. To make paying for your dental costs easier, follow these tips:
1. Choose a dentist that offers preventive care plans for no additional cost. This will help keep dental costs low in the long run because this type of program is less expensive than paying for one visit at a time at different dentists’ offices.
2. Choose a plan with flexible spending accounts as well. This is an extra amount you can contribute to your plan that is added into your weekly paycheck. This will help you save money on the overall cost of the plan because you will not have to pay for prescription drugs or other over-the-counter items.
3. Make appointments at this dental office to strategically plan your dental visits around things like vacations and holidays so you don’t have time on your hands to prepare for these trips. You also need to make sure that you wash and brush between every meal when traveling so that bacteria stay away from your teeth while eating out.
4. Go to dental school events that are held at local universities. These events are free and offer preventive care for children and entire families. Don’t forget to ask your dentist about whether or not they accept your dental insurance provider before you schedule any treatment.
5. Ask for a discount on any services offered by the dentist’s office. Sometimes, you can receive a discount on the cost of services if you ask the dentist about it in advance. The best way to receive a discount is to schedule appointments on weekdays before 11:00 am or after 3:00 pm when there are new dentists in training and other staff members who may need the practice or extra income.
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Conclusion
There are many ways that you can save money on dental insurance benefits if you are looking for a way to lower your monthly bills. Start by knowing your needs and by working more closely with the dentist that you choose. If you make an effort in these ways, you can help put your family’s financial security into rest and enjoy the dental care that it deserves. You won’t have to live with an uncomfortable or expensive dental problem later on in life because of bad habits left over from high school and college.
References:
1. CBS Money Watch, “Dental Insurance Plans: How Do They Work?” http://www.cbsnews.