Having choices can be great – and sometimes overwhelming.
Many of our patients have a dental benefits plan as part of their compensation package. These plans are increasingly more complicated and often have significant limitations, exclusions and provisions to coverage. Many dental plans have deductibles and yearly maximums that have not changed since the inception of dental “insurance”. Those of you without such coverage, frequently ask what individual plan we recommend. Here’s what we have discovered. Having an individual insurance plan is like gambling; at some point you may be ahead, but an insurance company, like a casino, has to be profitable. Individual insurance plans have differing premiums, deductibles and waiting periods. We have found no plan that would be consistently beneficial in providing excellent care at reasonable premiums.
Not having a dental insurance plan can actually allow you greater choice and flexibility.
Some other options to consider when planning for your dental care are if your employer offers a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), or Cafeteria Plan, health care money can be deducted from your paycheck and not be subject to payroll taxes, for substantial tax savings. If no FSA is available, consider a Health Savings Account (HSA), which operates on the same principle.
In 2016 an individual can put away $3,350 – and a family $6,650 – tax-free toward qualified health expenses, including dental care. If you don’t have dental insurance and you are contemplating purchasing an individual plan, consider putting that premium payment into an HSA instead.
Dental insurance won’t cover the full cost of your care. When you are paying out of pocket, we accept cash, checks, credit cards and debit cards. We also offer pre-payments similar to lay-away and outside financing.
We’re committed to providing you excellent, personalized dental care that’s affordable. If you have any questions about your care or payment options, please don’t hesitate to ask.
