It’s well worth making time in a busy schedule.
Did you know that you could actually save hundreds of dollars by using your dental benefits before the end of the year? This is a fact that many people simply do not know. While some dental insurance plans run on a fiscal year, many others run on a traditional calendar year. If your dental insurance plan runs on a traditional calendar year, you may be able to save yourself hundreds on dollars overall. If your dental insurance plan runs on a fiscal calendar, rather than on a traditional calendar year, you may want to look into switching plans if such savings are of great interest to you.
If your dental insurance plan is on a calendar year, these five reasons will show you why you should make a dental appointment now.
1 Yearly Maximum
The yearly maximum is the most money that the dental insurance plan will pay for your dental work within one full year. This amount varies by insurance company, but the average tends to be around $1,000 per year, per person. The yearly maximum usually renews every year (on January 1 if your plan is on a calendar year). If you have unused benefits, these will not rollover, so you should utilize all of the benefits while they are still active.
2 Deductible
The deductible is the amount of money that you must pay to your dentist out of pocket before your insurance company will pay for any services. This fee varies from one plan to another and could be higher if you choose an out-of-network dentist. However, the average deductible for a dental insurance plan is usually around $50 per year. Your deductible also starts again when your plan rolls over.
3 Premiums
If you are paying your dental insurance premiums every month, you should be using your benefits. Even if you dont need any dental treatment, you should always have your regular dental cleanings to help prevent and detect any early signs of cavities, gum disease, oral cancer and other dental problems.
4 Fee Increases
Another reason to use your benefits before the end of the year are possible fee increases. Some dentists raise their rates at the beginning of the year due to the increased cost of living, materials and equipment. A fee increase can also make your copay higher. Thus, if you need to see a doctor for any reason, you should do it while your current rates and copay remains, as they could potentially go up in the following year.
5 Dental Problems Can Worsen
By delaying dental treatment, you are risking more extensive and expensive treatment down the road. What may be a simple cavity now, could turn into a root canal later. Very often, when dental issues are ignored and left to develop, they end up becoming much worse than whatever the original issue was. Call your dentist and schedule an appointment to use those benefits.