Insurance Benefits Play a Large Role in the Health of Your Mouth
Having a beautiful smile is priceless. However, you can’t have a great smile without putting in the effort needed to take care of your teeth. This involves brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing daily. Additionally, one of the best ways to ensure the overall health of your mouth, body, and well-being is by maximizing your insurance benefits.
As you may be aware, most insurance benefits start over fresh with at the beginning of every new year. The benefits you don’t use in one year do not carry over into the next. Each year, billions of dollars’ worth of insurance benefits are wasted. While this does not have a direct negative impact on your life, it does mean you missed an opportunity to improve the health of your mouth and teeth.
With the beginning of a new year, use 2020 as a chance to maximize your insurance benefits. The year has only just begun, and you still have plenty of time to use these benefits. Cosmetic & Family Dentistry of Las Colinas is here to provide you with some useful tips to ensure that you properly maximize your insurance benefits in 2020.
Why You Need to Use Your Benefits Before the Year Ends
As we mentioned before, billions of dollars in insurance benefits go unused and wasted every year. Most dental insurance plans run on a traditional calendar year, meaning once December ends, you lose the benefits you didn’t use. They don’t roll over into the new year. For the health of your mouth and even your bank account, you must use your benefits throughout 2020. Here are some reasons why you should take advantage of your benefits this year:
- Yearly Maximums. Your yearly maximum is the highest amount your dental insurance is willing to pay on dental work throughout the year. Most maximums sit between $1,000 and $2,000 on average. Even though it renews every year, you should still see what work you can get down before they renew.
- You need to be utilizing your benefits if you are paying dental insurance premiums. Even if you don’t believe you have any real oral issues, you should still regularly go in to have at least a dental cleaning to help prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Don’t waste your money by not taking advantage of them.
- Oral Issues Can Occur. If you put off dental treatment, the health of your mouth can quickly and drastically decline. By not using your insurance benefits and visiting your dentist, you put yourself at risk of suffering serious oral conditions, which will cost you more time and money in the future.
- Fee Increases: Unfortunately, your fees may rise with the new year. Many dentists have to raise their rates due to the cost of living, increasing costs of materials, and more. The increase in fees can lead to a higher copay. Take advantage of these lower prices and schedule a visit with your dentist today.
Maximizing Your Insurance Benefits
According to the National Association of Dental Plans, around 47% of adults use an employer-sponsored dental insurance plan, but less than half of these individuals use these benefits. In fact, only 4.2% of them reach their annual maximum. Far too many people have access to dental insurance, yet they hardly ever take advantage of it.
Instead of wasting your dental insurance benefits, Cosmetic & Family Dentistry of Las Colinas urges you to get the most out of these benefits in 2020. You can do this by:
Regularly Schedule Dental Appointments
We cannot stress enough how critical regularly visiting your dentist is. There is no better way of preventing the development or progression of dangerous oral diseases. Most dentists recommend receiving dental cleanings twice a year or every six months. These dental cleanings allow your dentists the opportunity to thoroughly clean your teeth, while also providing them with the chance to recognize any diseases or conditions that would threaten the health of your mouth.
Most insurance plans cover preventative care, which includes dental cleanings. However, if you regularly visit your dentist, you may discover that there is an issue that must be treated soon, or it will get worse. At that point, you are able to utilize your benefits before the year comes to a close.
Choose an In-Network Dentist
Once you have figured out which insurance plan you are on, it’s time to find a dentist. This still can be a little more complicated than many people think. While it is completely understandable to look for a dentist that you feel most comfortable with, they may not be in your network of dentists. The reason that this is such an issue is you will likely need to pay more for dentists outside of your network. Try to find a dentist within your insurance network. You will save more money and be able to better enjoy your benefits.
Understand Your Benefits
There is no better way to maximize your insurance benefits than by understanding what you can and can’t do with them. While you should always schedule regular dental checkups every six months to ensure the health of your teeth, it helps to know what may happen if you need further care.
Prior to receiving any treatment, reach out to your insurance provider or your dentist to learn what you will need to owe for other dental procedures. Your insurance only covers part of restorative procedures, such as root canals and implants. You can budget much better if you know what you will be paying ahead of time.
At the beginning of each calendar year, your insurance benefits reset. If you didn’t use them the year before, they don’t roll over into the new year. Billions of dollars are wasted because people fail to take advantage of these benefits. We encourage you to maximize your insurance benefits in 2020 to ensure your teeth and mouth stay healthy. To learn how you can maximize your benefits, contact Cosmetic & Family Dentistry of Las Colinas and let us help.
