Our office is here to help our patients in every aspect of their dental health and many times insurance is a big part of the puzzle for most patients. Unfortunately most patients think dental insurance is like medical insurance but unfortunately it is not. Medical insurance is there to cover or significantly help to cover the cost of medical care but dental insurance is not. Dental insurance is more like assistance but it gets frustrating to patients when they find out their dental insurance does not cover all their dental costs. We understand that and therefore wanted to point out a few things you can to to make your insurance work for you.
There is a secret to getting the most from your dental coverage. Since we deal with insurance everyday, we know the secret and can share it with you: You are their customer. The insurance company works for you. You pay them to provide you a benefit. They have an agreement with you to reimburse you for dental expenses, and they have to answer to you for how well they do it. You are our customer and patient and we have to answer to you for how well we do. Just like with any dental office, we don’t work for the insurance company, and they don’t work for us, therefore:
- We can’t tell you exactly how much your insurance will pay (but because we see so many patients we can give you a pretty good estimate).
- We can’t tell you why your insurance company makes the decisions it does (but we can provide you with all the information you need to find out).
Three things you can do to get the most from your insurance:
1.Talk to your insurance company. Before you come in, give your insurance company a call. Ask them how much benefit you have left, if there are any waiting periods, and how much your plan pays for different type of procedures.
2.Talk to us. We can explain the terms used, the things to look out for, the ways to maximize your benefits, etc.
3.Ask questions. If something doesn’t make sense to you, ask. You are the paying customer. You pay for the insurance and you are entitled to clear answers.