Dental & Vision Insurance
Even the healthiest person isn’t exempt from needing vision and dental care, yet most insurance plans don’t cover these. Just over half of employers offer dental insurance, and only 35% offer vision insurance.
For some, dental and vision are their largest medical expenses annually. It’s estimated that a single person spends over $1000 a year without insurance. As you know, people cannot live and function without the ability to see and eat properly, so it’s important that you’re covered.
Coverage for Children
Under the Affordable Care Act, children 18 years and younger are entitled to minimum essential coverage under their insurance. This means that all children enrolled in an insurance plan must receive basic vision and dental care.
But what about the rest of us?
Traditional Dental Plans
Medicaid provides benefits for children, and most Medicare Advantage plans provide benefits for senior citizens. Nearly all other insurance plans do not include dental coverage. Investing in an additional dental plan can save you hundreds of dollars.
Most dental plans follow the 100-80-50 model, which means that insurance pays for:
- 100% of routine checkups and cleanings
- 80% of basic procedures such as fillings and root canals
- 50% of major procedures such as crowns and implants
It’s important to keep up with preventative care and bi-annual dentist appointments to avoid costly repair procedures.
Vision Care Plans
With individual vision insurance, you pay your insurer for your plan and receive coverage or discounts on vision services provided by a certified optometrist or ophthalmologist.
There are typically multiple nuances between different vision plans that call for your attention. Most plans cover preventative eye care like an eye exam and prescription eyewear. The extent to what an insurer will pay varies from plan to plan. However, if you choose to add extra features like glare and scratch resistance or progressive lenses, you will likely have to pay out-of-pocket for these additional costs. Even frames over a certain price will only be covered up to a certain amount.
Most vision plans cover either new glasses or contacts for a given benefit period but will rarely pay for both. You can receive partial discounts on both depending on the plan. If you want to purchase both glasses and contacts, you will likely have to cover the majority of one cost yourself or wait until the next benefit period.
It’s important to note that not all plans are on a 12-month benefit period, so think about your purchasing habits and how often you will need new glasses or contacts. Some plans have 24-month benefit periods and will have you waiting much longer for new prescriptions.
Even if your prescription does not drastically change with each year, it’s still important to have your eyes checked annually or bi-annually. Early detection of eye diseases such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy can save your eyesight.
That’s where Grand Anchor steps in to find the best plan for you at competitive rates. For more information on what insurance is right for you, contact us.