Don't Lose Your Benefits
You Could be Losing Your Dental Benefits. Schedule a Visit by Year’s End
There are only a couple of weeks left until 2018 rolls around. Did you know that the end of the year is one of the most important times to take advantage of your dental insurance benefits? If you’re wondering why, it’s because you lose all of them once the clock strikes midnight on January 1st. Yes, you read that correctly. Come New Years’ Day, all of the benefits you qualify for in 2017 go away.
Benefits Reset on New Years’ Day
Whatever dental benefits you have under your insurance plan, most policies expire on December 31st. You can’t “roll over” anything that’s left over from 2017 to 2018, even if you didn’t use them all up. Your annual benefits are just that…annual.
Even if you didn’t go to the dentist at all, each of those monthly premiums you’ve been paying have gone into your benefits account. You’ve basically already paid for the checkup visits that you haven’t made. While it would make sense to you to have that money roll into 2018, your insurance company counts on it to expire, so that they can make a profit. They are a business, after all.
Playing the “insurance game” the right way can help you maximize your investment, keep your teeth healthy, and reduce your cost of dental treatments when tooth decay or gum disease pop up unexpectedly.
Have You Reached Your Maximum Allowable? Your Deductible?
Every new year, the first treatment you schedule will mean that you’ll need to reach your deductible. That’s the dollar amount you pay out of pocket before your dental insurance kick in. Dental deductibles are usually lower than medical deductibles, typically around two or three hundred dollars or so.
After your deductible is paid, there’s another set amount of insurance funds you’re entitled to, called the “maximum allowable”. On average, this amount is about $1,500 for Anchorage patients. If you’re only scheduling a couple of cleanings a year or a filling here and there, you’re probably not using up even half of your benefits.
Reduce the Cost of Your Dental Treatment
Here’s where the math comes in. Big treatments like root canals, crowns, etc. can often be spread out over the end of 2017 and into 2018, giving you access to two “maximum allowable” amounts in a row. Scheduling the treatments now mean you can take advantage of the benefits still sitting in your insurance account, rather than throwing them away and re-setting on New Years’ Day with everyone else. Book half of your treatment now, and the other half at the beginning of 2018!
If you have active dental disease, now is the time to treat it. December appointments can help save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in dental care, as opposed to delaying them into the next year. Not only that, but untreated oral health conditions usually worsen, becoming more expensive and extensive to treat.
Schedule Your Dental Appointment in South Anchorage Today
At South Anchorage Dental, Dr. Brimhall does everything possible to help you reduce the amount of out of pocket costs you spend on your dental care. We have a few more openings for exams and treatments through the end of 2017, but it’s important that you call right away. These spots usually fill up very quickly.
New patients are always welcome! Contact our Anchorage dentist today for your next emergency, dental filling, or checkup!
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