When you’ve got a busy schedule and the holidays are coming up, it can be easy to forget about important appointments related to your health. However, did you know that if you have unused dental benefits sitting in your insurance account, you won’t be able to use them by the new year?
Considering that an overwhelming majority of dental insurance plan participants don’t reach their annual maximum, a dentist in Metairie wants to help make that process of using them easier. Here’s why you should take the time to use them and the best ways to do it.
Dental Insurance Is “Use It or Lose It”
If you have a traditional PPO plan or a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), chances are more than likely that your benefits and funds will expire on January 1st. That means if you don’t schedule your treatments on or before December 31st, the benefits and/or funds you paid for will vanish. This has proven to be an issue for the overwhelming majority of individuals, according to the National Association of Dental Plans. Based on their report, only 2.8 percent of PPO dental plan participants met or exceeded their annual maximum.
That’s why around the fall and winter seasons, dentists will make an effort to remind people about their benefits and get them scheduled as soon as possible. After all, volume is expected to increase dramatically, only making it more difficult to get seen by a dentist and treatments planned.
Learn Your Plan in More Detail
The best step to take first is to learn more about your plan’s details. Of course, you don’t have to navigate your insurance plan all on your own. Contacting your insurance company or employer and speaking with an insurance expert is a great way to confirm what benefits you have left. You can also talk with a dental practice employee who specializes in handling insurance.
Once you know your remaining benefits, you can schedule your next appointment and get the treatments you and your family are entitled to.
Start With Preventive Treatments
Most dental insurance plans cover anywhere from 80 to 100 percent of the cost for preventive treatments. This includes exams, cleanings, X-rays, oral cancer screenings and fluoride treatments for younger patients. Even if they aren’t completely covered, other treatments are usually covered as well, some as high as 50 percent. These include fillings, crowns, root canal therapy and other restorative treatments necessary for maintaining your oral health.
Preventive treatments are often prioritized because they prove to insurance companies that you care about your oral health. Skipping out on them only puts your mouth at risk of dental disease and your entire body at higher risk of other conditions related to poor oral hygiene. These reasons alone are why making the time to visit is worth it.
There isn’t much time left! Schedule an appointment with a cosmetic dentist in Metairie to maximize your benefits and get what you paid for.
About the Author
Dr. James Nelson earned his DDS degree from the LSU School of Dentistry. His practice is in-network with multiple dental insurance plans, so feel free to ask him questions you may have about your own. To learn more about his practice or about your coverage, you can contact him through his website.