Open enrollment brings plenty of forms, deadlines, and questions about what you actually used last year. Dental coverage can be one of the harder choices, particularly if you paid premiums every month and still had a sizable bill for a crown. Before choosing the same plan again, you may want to compare those costs with a dental preventive care plan through the office where you already receive care.
At Cary Family Dental in Cary, Illinois, we offer a Preventive Care Plan for patients without dental insurance or with coverage that falls short of their needs. If you’re deciding what to choose this fall, we can go over the plan alongside the visits and treatment you expect to need. Dr. Niraj Patel and Dr. Rachel Ehlers can review your dental needs, and our team can explain the fees before you sign up.
What Our Dental Preventive Care Plan Includes
If you join our Preventive Care Plan, your included care covers a comprehensive exam, two periodic exams, two cleanings, X-rays, and a fluoride treatment under the plan’s terms. You also receive 10% off other procedures here, from fillings to eligible orthodontic treatment and oral surgery. Before you enroll, we can go over which visits you need and what any additional treatment would cost.
With our membership, you pay us directly for the plan and receive the included care and discounts here. There are no insurance claims to submit for those benefits or pre-authorization forms to complete. If you receive treatment at another office, however, that provider will charge separately, so include those visits when comparing your options.
Compare a Full Year of Costs
Start with the annual amount you would pay for insurance premiums, then look at the deductible and your expected share of treatment. An employer contribution can change that calculation considerably, while an individual policy may require you to pay the entire premium yourself. The cheapest monthly premium may still leave you paying more for the procedures you expect to need.
Next, put the membership fee beside what you would pay for insurance over the year. If Dr. Patel or Dr. Ehlers has recommended treatment, we can show you the fee with the membership discount applied. For example, two cleanings and an exam may be your main expenses, while someone who needs a crown will want to compare the cost of that treatment as well.
Look Beyond the Annual Maximum
If you have needed several procedures in one year, you may have run into your insurance plan’s annual maximum. Once the insurer has paid that amount, you may have to cover additional treatment yourself, depending on your policy and network agreement. When comparing plans, check how far that allowance would go toward the care you already know you need.
Our Preventive Care Plan has no annual insurance maximum or deductible. The treatment discount continues to apply to eligible procedures according to the membership agreement. However, you still pay the discounted treatment fee, so we’ll review the amount you would owe before scheduling care.
Check Waiting Periods and Treatment Restrictions
Some insurance policies have waiting periods before they pay for certain services, along with rules about replacing crowns or covering teeth that were already missing. These restrictions vary, even between policies sold by the same insurance company. If you already know you need treatment, read those sections before assuming a newly selected plan will contribute right away.
Our membership has no pre-existing condition limitations, claim forms, or pre-authorization forms. We can explain the enrollment terms and when your membership benefits begin before you make a decision. If you have an existing insurance policy, we should review how the arrangements apply rather than assuming membership savings can be added to an insurance payment.
Include Your Gum Health in the Comparison
Two routine cleanings may fit someone with healthy gums, while a patient with periodontitis can need more frequent periodontal maintenance. Those visits involve a different level of care because gum disease affects the tissues and bone supporting the teeth. A history of deep cleaning should be part of your financial planning, even when your gums currently feel comfortable.
If you have had a deep cleaning or currently receive periodontal maintenance, ask us to include those visits in the comparison. Dr. Patel or Dr. Ehlers can check whether your gums need active treatment or ongoing maintenance and how often you should return. Then we can estimate the care you need, including any services beyond the routine cleanings in the plan.
Consider Where You Want to Receive Care
Think about where you and your family usually receive dental care as well. If a child is away at college or you spend part of the year in another state, an insurance policy may contribute toward visits at other offices. Our membership applies here at Cary Family Dental, so we can explain the savings on your visits with us while you check the cost of care elsewhere.
If you already come to us for care, you can keep your visits here and use the membership benefits with the team you know. When a filling feels rough or a crown needs replacing, we can explain the discounted fee before treatment. However, if your employer pays much of your dental premium, your insurance may still cost you less overall, so compare both before changing anything.
Review the Terms Before You Enroll
Before signing up, ask about the current fee, membership period, renewal process, and any exclusions. Family members may have different treatment needs, so each person’s expected visits should be included in the calculation. If financing is part of the plan, review that agreement separately from the membership fee and treatment discount.
If you have an insurance enrollment deadline coming up, contact us before you need to make that choice. We can explain how enrollment in our plan works and review the fees for your recommended care. Then you can compare the costs with time to ask questions, instead of trying to make the decision on the last evening before the deadline.
Preventive Care Plans at Cary Family Dental
If you’re paying for dental coverage that rarely seems to match your care, bring your questions to Cary Family Dental in Cary, Illinois. We can review our Preventive Care Plan alongside the treatment Dr. Niraj Patel and Dr. Rachel Ehlers recommend and explain the fees before you enroll. Schedule a visit or contact our team about membership, and let’s work out a plan for keeping your dental care on the calendar this year!