Archive for category Discount Dental Plans And Their Utility
Should I Buy a Discount Dental Plan?
Posted by Brandi in Discount Dental Plans And Their Utility on October 21, 2011
asked:
Dental Discount Plans have become increasing popular. You will see ads for them everywhere. But there are differences between the plans and you need to understand these differences before you buy one for yourself and your family.
The first and most important thing to know is that a dental plan is not dental insurance. A dental plan is a fee-for-service plan. You will pay for the services you receive from a dentist. However, you will pay a discounted fee for that service. You may not go to any dentist. In order to get the fee advertised, you will have to go to the dentists listed on the network of the plan you buy. Do not go to any dentist not on the list because as a non-participating provider they are not obligated to honor the discount fee and will charge you their regular fee for the service provided.
Just because it's not insurance doesn't mean it's not a good option. For many people it is a much better option than traditional dental insurance. What are the advantages of a dental plan over dental insurance? There actually are many and the first and most important is price. On average dental insurance will cost about $40 per person per month. A family of 4 may pay as much as $150 per month. If part of that premium is paid by an employer, this may be worth it. But for individuals who do not have dental insurance through an employee, this cost may be prohibitive.
Dental plans charge consumers a membership fee which allows the consumer to get services from a participating dentist at significantly discounted rates. What do I mean by a participating provider? When you purchase a membership in a dental plan, you will get two things. First, a list of services showing the usual rate charged for this service and the rate a participating dentist will charge members of this plan. The discounts can be significant but be wary of plans that offer discounts that are too good. More about that in a moment.
The second list you will get is a list of dentists who are part of the plan network. These dentists are the participating providers. They have agreed to charge the members of a specific plan the amount listed on the fee schedule. When you visit a participating dentist be sure that you have a copy of the fee schedule that was listed by the plan when you purchased your membership. That will insure that you are charged the correct amount for the service provided.
Dental Discount Plans have become increasing popular. You will see ads for them everywhere. But there are differences between the plans and you need to understand these differences before you buy one for yourself and your family.
The first and most important thing to know is that a dental plan is not dental insurance. A dental plan is a fee-for-service plan. You will pay for the services you receive from a dentist. However, you will pay a discounted fee for that service. You may not go to any dentist. In order to get the fee advertised, you will have to go to the dentists listed on the network of the plan you buy. Do not go to any dentist not on the list because as a non-participating provider they are not obligated to honor the discount fee and will charge you their regular fee for the service provided.
Just because it's not insurance doesn't mean it's not a good option. For many people it is a much better option than traditional dental insurance. What are the advantages of a dental plan over dental insurance? There actually are many and the first and most important is price. On average dental insurance will cost about $40 per person per month. A family of 4 may pay as much as $150 per month. If part of that premium is paid by an employer, this may be worth it. But for individuals who do not have dental insurance through an employee, this cost may be prohibitive.
Dental plans charge consumers a membership fee which allows the consumer to get services from a participating dentist at significantly discounted rates. What do I mean by a participating provider? When you purchase a membership in a dental plan, you will get two things. First, a list of services showing the usual rate charged for this service and the rate a participating dentist will charge members of this plan. The discounts can be significant but be wary of plans that offer discounts that are too good. More about that in a moment.
The second list you will get is a list of dentists who are part of the plan network. These dentists are the participating providers. They have agreed to charge the members of a specific plan the amount listed on the fee schedule. When you visit a participating dentist be sure that you have a copy of the fee schedule that was listed by the plan when you purchased your membership. That will insure that you are charged the correct amount for the service provided.
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