2020 Dental Insurance: It’s Time to Use It or Lose It!

The end of the year is a busy time for most people. You may be absorbed in shopping for great deals, preparing for annual celebrations, or trying to put together your plans for 2021. In all the end of the year busyness, however, there is one important thing that you should not let slip your mind: your oral health. 2020 dental insurance policies are set to expire on December 31. Now is the ideal time to use your benefits before they expire in Idaho Falls!

Dental Insurance Doesn’t Roll Over

PPO dental insurance plans from companies like Delta, BlueCross BlueShield, and others work on a calendar year basis. On January 1, you are given an annual maximum — the highest amount that your insurance company will pay out for approved treatments throughout the year. At the end of the year, any unused portion of that maximum expires. It does not roll over. Therefore, if you are only visiting your dentist when you face an emergency situation, you could be losing out on hundreds of benefits dollars each year!

Maximizing Your Coverage

Here are some tips to help you get the greatest value possible from your dental insurance:

• Keep up with preventive care. Most PPO plans allow you to attend two checkups and cleanings each year at little to nothing out of pocket. These appointments give your dentist an opportunity to look for signs of developing oral health problems.
• Follow-up with restorative treatment. If your dentist recommends that you receive any type of restorative treatment, you may still have time to use this year’s benefits to get that taken care of. If you are new to your policy, your insurer might even waive the six-month waiting period that they normally enforce before customers can receive certain treatments. This is usually true if you had other dental coverage before you switched to your current plan.
• Ask for help. Your local dental team are experts with insurance. They may be able to help you figure out the nitty gritty details of your plan. At Cline Family Dentistry, we are especially adept at dealing with Delta and BCBS, but we are in-network with a variety of plans and will be happy to help you maximize your benefits.

No Insurance?

Of course, not everyone has dental insurance. If that is true of you, ask your dental office about other ways to save money on your care. In our practice, we offer a convenient in-house savings plan. For a reasonable annual fee, you can receive all necessary preventive care and enjoy a significant discount on most other services.

Are you using your dental benefits to the full? Time is running out to take advantage of your 2020 insurance policy!

About the Author

Dr. Brent Cline is an experienced general dentist in Idaho Falls who earned his dental degree from Creighton University in Omaha, NE. He is passionate about staying at the forefront of his profession, and he regularly attends continuing education courses. He and our team are happy to help patients maximize their insurance benefits. To learn more about Dr. Cline and our practice, contact us at 208-529-0420.