Max Out Dental Benefits Before Year’s End
EINSURANCE.comTM Before you get too caught up in the coming holidays, here’s a money-saving insurance tip: max out your dental benefits now. If you’re like the majority of people with dental insurance, your plan is on a calendar year and any benefits you leave on the table will disappear on January 1. Your annual deductible will reset, too, and you’ll start all over again. Since throwing money away is not on your to-do list, here are the steps you need to take.Call your dental insurance provider and find out the exact amount of your unspent dental benefits. That’s what you stand to lose if you don’t take the next step.
Make a dental appointment ASAP. The sooner you do this (like right after you finish reading), the more likely your dentist will be able to schedule you and any eligible family members for treatment. Remember, dentists go on vacation, too. Even if you can’t complete a procedure this year, you can get the ball rolling to use up left-over benefits. Next year, when your dental plan resets, you can complete the treatment.
Need another good reason to act now? Nothing is getting cheaper. The crown you buy this year could easily cost more next year. Your dentist may raise his or her fees to cover rising costs, and that fee increase can also result in a higher co-pay to you.
Of course, saving money shouldn’t be your only motivator. Routine visits to the dentist can detect problems like gum disease and oral cancers before they become big problems. Even a small cavity, cracked tooth or leaky filling can turn into a bigger, more expensive fix if you ignore it. Fillings are relatively cheap, root canal and crowns are big ticket items (and not a lot of fun, either).
One more reason to act quickly: dentists go on vacation, too and you’re not the only person who suddenly realized you have unspent dental benefits.
