Use It or Lose It: Do You Have 2021 Dental Insurance Benefits to Use?
You know how it works. The summer comes to an end, kids go back to school and the busiest time of year has suddenly arrived without you even realizing it. During this exciting rush of events and other demands on your time, it’s easy to forget about using the year’s dental insurance benefits before the year ends.
The harsh truth is if you don’t use those benefits, you will lose them. This is your hard-earned money we are talking about. You want to be sure to take care of your dental cleanings or any teeth that need repair. Plan early and make your appointments quickly to avoid the mad rush of other patients that waited until the last minute.
3 Reasons to Get Your Dental Appointments Scheduled
1. You’ve Already Hit Your Deductible ‘ Your deductible is the amount that you as a patient need to pay before your insurance kicks in their portion. Most insurances have a yearly amount required and that amount starts over each year, often at the beginning of the calendar year (depending on your plan).
If you have paid quite a bit towards your deductible already, be smart and do necessary work that you’ve been waiting on. This way, your insurance company will be paying more towards your dental costs. Also, just your simple dental cleaning is covered as preventative under your dental insurance, so don’t let a chance to keep your teeth in tip top condition go to waste.
2. Use Your Flex Spending Account (FSA) ‘ Your FSA account that you and possibly your employer has contributed money to over the year needs to be used. Many plans even clear out your balance at the beginning of the year and you lose all that you’ve saved up over the year.
Make sure to either spend your FSA donations or at least check to see if any of the money will roll over to the next year. Many plans allow funds to be rolled over but only a certain amount. Understand your plan and the benefits and rules that are involved so that you can get the most out of your money. Don’t lose your money just because it’s a new year!
3. Increasing Premium and Fee Amounts ‘ As with most things, costs of insurance are going up and the fees that follow are increasing as well. Check your plan to see if changes have happened with the things that are covered too. You don’t want to be surprised when that bill comes!
Even if you aren’t experiencing pain or other symptoms, use your families benefits now to have regular cleanings and checkups done. This preventative dental care is extremely beneficial and can warn you early of problems that you may not be aware of.
Get Scheduled Now
At myDental, we strive to provide you excellent, quality care while helping you feel comfortable and at ease. Call to get scheduled for your cleaning and checkup at one of our great locations before you lose out on your yearly benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most dental insurance plans reset their annual maximum on January 1, meaning any unused benefits are lost. The annual maximum is the total amount the plan will pay for dental care in a calendar year, typically between $1,000 and $2,000. Unused dollars do not roll over to the following year on most plans.
Preventive care like cleanings, exams, and X-rays should be completed first since most plans cover these at 100 percent. If treatment like fillings, crowns, or extractions has been recommended, scheduling before year end helps avoid paying fully out of pocket later. Delaying needed treatment can also lead to more costly problems down the road.
Call the customer service number on the insurance card or log into the insurance provider’s website to check the remaining annual maximum. The dental office front desk can also verify benefits and remaining coverage. Checking early in the fall allows enough time to schedule any needed treatments before December.
Splitting treatment across two calendar years is a common strategy for expensive procedures. For example, a crown prep can be done in December and the final placement in January, using benefits from both plan years. This approach effectively doubles the available insurance coverage for larger treatment plans.
Most dental insurance deductibles reset on January 1 along with the annual maximum. This means the deductible must be met again in the new plan year before insurance begins covering procedures. Completing treatment before the year ends avoids paying a second deductible on the same course of care.
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