Can anyone help? Dental insurance?

[JenBKR]

For the last 6 months or so ago we haven't had dental insurance. My husband's employer is going to start offering Assurant dental, which I guess is not actually insurance but a co-payment plan of some sort. Our cost would be $35.00/month. I have been trying to do some research on this but I'm still not sure if this is the best way to go, or if it would be better to buy our own dental insurance. Anyone have any experience with this?

[Edwina's Secretary]

Assurant has various plans. Can you describe it in any more detail?

What you need to look at is you will pay $420 per year for this plan. What do you normally spend in a year on dental services? Then look at the coverage the plan offers. Is what you would pay under the plan (assuming similar dental expenses) plus the $420 more or less than what you normally spend in a year?

If it is less, it sounds good. If it is more - not so good.

There is another option - if you have a Flexible Spending Account available to you that should be factored into your decision. Sometimes putting the amount of money aside in a Flexi that you normally spend reduces your taxes enough to be a beter option than dental insurance.

If you anticipate any expensive dental work - crowns or the like - insurance can be ther better choice.

The answer to your questions really depends on many factors!

[GrandChester]

I am looking into something similar. Aetna has a discount dental plan if your Dentist accepts it. It runs $94.00 per year (each individual) with a 2 day waiting period. I have a friend whos daughter needed many root canals and crowns and fillings. They are pleased with the discount plan. Good luck

[JenBKR]

I was trying to pull some information up about it online but for some reason my computer keeps freezing when I click in the link. The paper I have says it's the Heritage series, and a price list of an estimate of what our copays would be. Neither of us have an FSA, although the monthly fee for this dental plan would come out of his pay before taxes. Maybe I should call the dentist and get some prices and see how much we would be saving. We haven't really had any problems or have needed any major dental work, just cleanings and the occasional cavity. With the two kids now, however, I have no idea what will happen!

[JenBKR]

I am looking into something similar. Aetna has a discount dental plan if your Dentist accepts it. It runs $94.00 per year (each individual) with a 2 day waiting period. I have a friend whos daughter needed many root canals and crowns and fillings. They are pleased with the discount plan. Good luck

I was looking into that too. Do you know how they signed up for it? I think I saw it on a website called dentalplans.com or something like that. I think Aetna is actually a cheaper per year plan than the Assurant.

[GrandChester]

Here is the phone # he called 866-815-6966

[Freedom]

I get my dental coverage through AAA. Don't know if that is available where you are, but may want to check it out.

Mine is insurance, not a copay plan.

[Asiel]

From my own experience I can honestly say that if $35 / month is all it will cost you for dental insurance I would jump on it. My husband had much the same dental and medical insurance through his work although it cost a bit more but believe me it was worth every cent we paid. Our dental costs would have been well over $1000 a year on our own. Same for our medical, in one year it cost us over $20,000 for just myself. I'm surprised we didn't bankrupt the company but they never refused to cover any of our medical costs. Our eyeglasses were also covered under the plan.

[Edwina's Secretary]

It sounds like it might be a DHMO. This is a plan where you must go to a dentist who has agreed to be in the program. There is a fixed co-pay for each procedure.

If you are not attached to your current dentist - or your current dentist participates in your plan - this can be a very good deal.

When we relocated to California we went with a DHMO because it was so much less expensive than a traditional indemnity plan. We had no ties to a specific dentist so it was not a big deal.

You should be given a list of the co-pay amounts before you make your decision. Ask for it. The carrier (thru the employer) must give it to you.

Do be aware that dentist can try and "upsell" you. "Your plan covers crowns in this ugly dingy color and for a few hundred more dollars out of your pocket you can get this better looking crown" -- that sort of thing.

[JenBKR]

It sounds like it might be a DHMO. This is a plan where you must go to a dentist who has agreed to be in the program. There is a fixed co-pay for each procedure.

If you are not attached to your current dentist - or your current dentist participates in your plan - this can be a very good deal.

When we relocated to California we went with a DHMO because it was so much less expensive than a traditional indemnity plan. We had no ties to a specific dentist so it was not a big deal.

You should be given a list of the co-pay amounts before you make your decision. Ask for it. The carrier (thru the employer) must give it to you.

Do be aware that dentist can try and "upsell" you. "Your plan covers crowns in this ugly dingy color and for a few hundred more dollars out of your pocket you can get this better looking crown" -- that sort of thing.

Yes that sounds like what this is. My dentist is not on the plan, and I do like him, but I don't have a problem switching dentists. I do have a list of the copay amounts, it's 5 pages long so I am still going through it. The prices seem pretty good though.