With your hard-earned money going toward paying insurance premiums each month, it’s important to get the biggest bang for your buck. But did you know that you might be throwing away dental benefits every year? It’s true—the money you’ve spent towards your dental insurance deductible doesn’t roll over into the next calendar year, so if you aren’t using them, you’re losing them! At Aurora Dental Group, we want to make sure you’re getting the most out of your benefits, so we’ve compiled these crucial tips for maximizing your benefits before the year is over.
- Meet your deductible before the year is up!
What is your deductible? Here’s a quick refresher: your deductible is the amount of money you have to spend on healthcare before your insurance starts to kick in and cover the costs of your treatment. If you’re close to meeting this deductible, we highly recommend taking advantage of your benefits before the year is over. As mentioned earlier, the payments you’ve made toward reaching this deductible will erase when the year is up. This means you could be paying the full cost of a treatment in 2018 that would otherwise have been covered in 2017. So call our dental office in Aurora as soon as possible to get those treatments scheduled! - Schedule your non-emergency treatments at the beginning of the year.
To make sure you take full advantage of your benefits in 2018, be sure to schedule any non-emergency care at the beginning of the year. This will help you to meet your deductible early so that you have more time to fully utilize your benefits. Aurora Dental Group can help you to plan out your upcoming treatments so that you can meet your deductible quickly and get the most out of your coverage. - Check on your benefits with your provider.
Another great way to maximize your benefits is to give your insurance provider a call. Ask them what benefits you’ve used this year, what is covered, and if there are any benefits that may be lost in the coming year. It is likely that you’ll find some basic procedures—such as fillings, root canals, extractions, etc.— will be cheaper for you as most companies cover about 70-80% of the cost. More intensive treatments—such as crowns, dentures, or bridges—will likely cost you more depending on your plan. Cosmetic treatments are often not covered at all. By calling your insurance provider, you can determine which treatments are considered preventative (and therefore are covered at a higher percentage) and which are elective. This will help you to determine which care you should get before the year-end. - Utilize your flexible spending account.
Many employers allow you to set up a flexible spending account (FSA) as a supplement to your health insurance. This is where you’d place your pre-tax money for certain qualifying health expenses. But here’s the kicker: in most cases, the full balance of your FSA does not roll over into the next year. So if you have an FSA, it may be time to check in on your balance to see how much money you have left. Otherwise, you may lose this money! You might find that your FSA funds can cover a variety of preventative treatments such as cleanings, fillings, tooth extractions, treatments for gingivitis and TMJ, and more. That said, be sure not to confuse your flexible spending account with your health savings account (HSA). While most FSA balances do not roll over in the coming year, your HSA is yours to keep. There is less of a rush to spend these funds before the year-end. - Let us help you maximize your benefits!
It is extremely important to us that you get the most out of your coverage. So if you’re uncertain about what treatments are available, or want to learn about your options, give us a call! Our staff is highly experienced in helping patients to obtain necessary treatments at the lowest possible cost. You may find that a quick check-up, last-minute cleaning, or even x-rays for a problem area can be entirely affordable and even prevent expensive treatments down the road.
Want to make sure you’re using your dental insurance benefits before the year is over? Call Aurora Dental Group in Aurora, IL today to discuss your options and schedule your visit!
