How Discount Dental Plans Benefit Members

By Nelda Powers


Discount dental plans allow members to get discounts after using the services of a dentist. Plan participants get to choose the dentist to visit from a list of participating dentists. These plans are different from dental insurance in that members do not pay monthly premiums. They only pay a single yearly fee and they can visit any dentist listed in a plan to enjoy discounts.

Participating dentists benefit by having their listing displayed regularly to a large list of potential patients. They therefore agree to charge lower service fees. The discounts in these plans vary. Typically, you will be reimbursed based on the class of services you use. For instance, diagnostic and preventative services may be covered at a hundred percent of the cost of the procedure, while basic restorative services may be covered at eighty percent of the procedure.

Under many dental plans, you may receive certain services like annual checkups and annual teeth cleaning free or at very low rates. The value of such a plan is that you do not have to refrain from visiting a dentist because of the expenses associated with using the services of this professional. It does not pay for the services you receive but rather allows you to pay discounted rates for these services.

Most dental discount programs require service providers to list their fees. This lets you know how much each listed dentist charges. Another advantage of singing up for such programs is that you may include any family member you want. This can benefit people who are not your immediate family members.

Discount plans usually have cost sharing elements for members like coinsurance, copayments and deductibles. They help ensure that members pay low fees. These programs usually have a limit on the number of times a member can receive specific services. The age of a member can also determine the kind of discounts that he or she can receive.

Dental programs also usually have a yearly dollar limit on certain services. After you reach your yearly limit, you cannot enjoy reduced rates on services until the start of the upcoming plan year. However, if you only use routine care services such as exams, X rays and cleanings, it is highly unlikely that you will reach your yearly maximum.

It is important that you get a quotation from your dentist in order to know exactly how much money the procedures you need to undergo will cost. You can ask your service provider to submit the treatment plan to your insurer so that you can know how much money the plan will help you save. Your dentist may also submit supporting documents so that his or her service can be pre approved.

Insurance companies can provide patients with estimates that show the amount of money that a plan can pay, the amount of money remaining towards their deductibles, the fees they have to pay and if they are about to reach their benefit maximum. Patients should sign up for discount dental plans that cover the services they need and list the professionals they wish to visit. These programs usually come with detailed descriptions about the services covered, limitations, exclusions and requirements.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment