All About Full Coverage Dental Plans - What's Covered?
There are many kinds of dental plans available to help you care
for your teeth. Full coverage dental plans offer you a means to
help defray the costs related to keeping your teeth and mouth in
the best condition possible. Full coverage dental plans are ones
that enlist dentists to participate in the plan at a reduced fee
schedule. Members of the plan are then referred to these dentists.
This gets you lower fees. Dentists outside this network may charge
you the difference between the amount the plan covers and the amount
they charge for a given service.
Unfortunately for people insured by full coverage dental plans,
dental costs have risen, while maximum payable benefits per year
have remained stagnant. The maximum amount your plan will pay per
year is probably about $1000. This is the same as the average maximum
benefit during the 1970s. Since then, inflation has caused dental
costs to more than triple, while full coverage insurance has remained
the same. This is something to consider if you're looking into
a full coverage dental plan. You should also, however, keep in
mind that even a dental benefit that's lower than it ought to be
is better than no dental benefit at all.
The best maximum yearly coverage usually comes from large insurers
who offer plans through big companies that employ a lot of people.
This is because big corporations can usually afford more comprehensive
coverages while getting a good group discount. Small companies
may find that they have trouble getting a good yearly maximum for
their employees because they are not purchasing enough plans.
Full coverage plans generally pay for all or most dental procedures.
This includes specialist dental procedures such as root canals,
crowns, and oral surgery. Many less expensive plans only cover
basic dental work. Some full coverage plans may even cover limited
cosmetic dental work, but this is rare. You should read over the
specifics for your full coverage dental plan to find out what they
cover before you sign the paperwork. Many dental plans have waiting
periods before certain types of coverage begin. These often include
major procedures like crowns and root canals. If you know this
in advance, you can plan your dental work accordingly. If not,
you could find yourself stuck with the bill.
As with any dental plan, the coverage
offered by your “full
coverage” plan may vary between plans and companies. Each
insurance company plays by their own rules and has their own internal
requirements and regulations. This is why it's important to check
everything on an individual basis and make sure that your plan
lines up with your expectations. Full coverage plans are a great
option for people looking for insurance that will help them pay
for major dental work, but each plan is a little different. If
you're hoping to get insurance for your dental procedures, shop
carefully and you'll be sure to find the full coverage plan that
does what you need it to!