This Year's Resolution: Plan to Use Your Dental Insurance

You’ve gone through open enrollment and vaguely remember the PowerPoint slides reviewing any new changes in your corporate plan, or you try to find the web pages you browsed for an individual plan. When the cards come in the mail, it’s easy to forget those little changes to your dental insurance plan.

Keeping your dental insurance in order might sound like a chore, but getting a head start on your benefit game plan could ease a few headaches down the road.

Plan how you can use your insurance now for a stress-free year.

Make a checklist.

Start with the basics — make a list of preventive services you know you will need. You should visit the dentist at least once a year for a cleaning and checkup, according to the American Dental Association. Schedule appointments with your dental office, and if you know you’ll need additional dental work like fillings or crowns, pencil those in, too.

Study your coverage.

Once you know what procedures you need, take a minute to look over your plan. Familiarize yourself with dental insurance basics. What’s your deductible? What about your annual maximum? Most plans cover a percentage of procedures up to a specific dollar amount. Review your benefits contract so you know what’s covered. Sign in to our member portal to easily manage this.

Construct a timeline.

After consulting your dentist, work with your dental team to develop a treatment schedule. If you are unsure if a procedure or treatment will be covered, your dentist can always pre-submit a claim for an estimation of benefit coverage.

Write it down.

A lot can happen in a year! Keep track of any insurance use throughout the year. This will keep your mind fresh when selecting the best plan for you come next open enrollment.

Here’s to a happy, healthy new year!

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