Are you having a hard time making ends meet? One way to save money is to take a close look at your medical and dental expenses. Perhaps a dental discount plan is right for you.
What is a dental savings plan?
A dental savings plan is sometimes referred to as a discount dental plan. But, regardless of its name, it’s a program that allows you to receive discounts when paying for dental care.
Instead of paying monthly premiums as you would with traditional dental insurance, you pay a membership fee to join a dental savings plan – similar to joining a discount club to help save on household items.
Each time you visit the dentist, you show your savings card to receive a discount on eligible services. Discounts vary from plan to plan, but they usually include preventative treatments, basic services, and major services.
How does a dental discount plan compare to dental insurance?
Before we continue, it’s essential that you understand the difference between a dental discount plan and expensive dental insurance.
Traditional dental insurance works like health insurance. You or your employer pay a monthly premium whether you need dental treatments or not. Your insurance plan typically pays for preventive care, such as routine dental visits and cleanings. However, if you need additional work, such as fillings, root canals, or visits to oral surgeons, you will typically need to pay cash until you meet your deductible. At that point, your insurance company will pay for any additional dental procedures that year (until you meet the annual maximums.)
On the other hand, a dental discount plan can cost as little as $19.95 per month. Even though you will have to pay out of pocket for dental services, you will pay a discounted rate for healthcare that has been pre-negotiated with area dentists.
Can I use a dental savings plan with my dental insurance?
While you can’t typically use your dental insurance and dental savings plan for the same procedure, there may be times when dental savings plans can assist insured patients.
For example, suppose you need an emergency dental procedure, but your dental insurance has a waiting period before you can receive benefits. If that describes your situation, you can purchase a dental savings plan with no waiting period and save on your expensive procedures.
A dental discount card can also be helpful if you need extensive dental work, and your insurance company has set a maximum yearly amount that they will cover. If this describes your situation, you may be able to use your dental insurance until you reach your maximum and then pay your dentist directly for the rest of the procedures. Then, even after paying your annual membership fee, you will enjoy saving money on those costly procedures.
Dental Discount Plans May be the Right Choice for Your Family!
Take a look at how much you are paying for your insurance plans, which may or may not include dental coverage. Then, crunch the numbers to see if discount dental plans are the right option for you.
Learn more about how medical discount plans and dental savings plans work by contacting AmeriPlan, an alternative to high-priced dental insurance.