Medicare advantage dental benefits in Lakeland (Seniors 65+)

Dental Insurance Options for Seniors

Medicare benefits are available to adults who are at least 65 years old, people who are permanently disabled, or diagnosed with a chronic kidney disease. Medicare automatically enrolls adults into the program once they turn 65. Despite the advantages traditional Medicare offers, the program doesn't include coverage for most dental services. Even basic forms of dental care, such as cleanings, exams, fillings, extractions, or dentures, aren't usually covered. This can leave seniors and other adults having to look for other options to help make the cost of care more manageable. Fortunately, a Medicare Advantage plan, a discount plan, in-office financing, or private insurance are other options that can be helpful. If you want to learn more about dental benefits in Lakeland, get in touch with us today.

The costs associated with dental services usually depend on your specific location and the exact dental services you're receiving. You can use the following information as a guide for understanding the general costs of common dental services:

Checkups and Cleanings:

• Basic exam–$50 to $100
• Dental X-ray–$20 to $250
• Standard cleaning–$70 to $200

Fillings:

• Silver amalgam–$50 to $300
• Composite–$90 to $450

Extractions:

• Simple extraction–$75 to $450
• Surgical extraction–$150 to $650
• Wisdom tooth extraction–$75 to $3,000 based on the number and complexity of the extractions

Crowns:

The cost of a crown can range from $500 to $3,000 based on the type of material used.

Root Canals:

The cost of a root canal can range from $300 to $2,000 based on the location of the tooth and the complexity of the procedure.

Overview of Medicare Advantage Plans

A Medicare Advantage plan is an entirely optional supplemental plan that offers additional benefits that traditional Medicare doesn't cover. It's a supplemental plan that's offered by private health insurance companies, including UHC, Aetna, and Humana. The majority of these Medicare supplement plans include benefits for prescription medication, dental, vision, and hearing.

With a Medicare Advantage plan, members can receive healthcare services from a network of specific healthcare providers. These plans also offer price protection and cost-sharing measures, such as restrictions on how much beneficiaries pay out-of-pocket and a small premium and deductible. One of the main differences between a supplemental plan and traditional Medicare is that benefits provided by supplemental Medicare plans are paid directly by the insurance company instead of the federal government.

If you become a member of a supplemental Medicare plan, you'll have two separate ID cards: one for traditional Medicare and another for your supplemental plan. Although the low monthly premiums is a primary advantage of these types of plans, it's important for seniors to consider the dental coverage they offer. For dental services, most supplemental plans offer coverage for x-rays, professional exams, and cleanings. Based on estimates from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, members of Medicare Advantage plans in 2019 can expect a monthly fee of about $28.00.

Are There Advantages to Standalone Dental Insurance?

Standalone dental insurance may be an ideal option for seniors with oral health issues or anyone who wants to feel good about having coverage for unexpected dental emergencies. These plans come in three different tiers to meet a variety of needs.

Basic Plans:

A basic plan may be the right option for you if you're already in good oral health and just visit the dentist twice a year for preventative services, such as x-rays, cleanings, and examinations. However, you'll likely be responsible for higher costs out-of-pocket if you ever need any other type of dental service.

Mid-level Plans:

To receive coverage for a large variety of dental services, a mid-level plan might be a good fit. This plan covers the same basic preventative services offered under the basic plan, in addition to coverage for specialized x-rays, orthodontic treatment, dentures, emergency treatment, inhalation anesthesia, and fillings.

Premium Plans:

Premium plans are considered the top-tier plan and since they provide partial coverage for extensive and advanced dental procedures, they're also the most expensive plan. Examples of services covered by a premium plan include:

• Treatment for gum disease, such as endodontic and periodontal procedures
• Oral surgery
• Complete or partial dentures
• Crowns
• Dental restoration services, including inlays and onlays

Standalone plans offered by private companies provide tiered coverage called "100-80-50." For example, most basic procedures, such as exams, are typically 100% covered, other services, such as fillings, might be covered at 80%, and root canals, crowns, and other advanced procedures might be 50% covered.

Your monthly or annual premiums for private insurance depend on which type of coverage you choose. While standalone plans offer more coverage than a Medicare supplement plan, they typically don't offer coverage for hearing, vision, or prescription medications.

Can I Benefit from a Dental Service Discount Plan?

A popular way to make receiving dental services more manageable is enrolling in a discount plan. Dental offices that accept discount plans offer discounted, pre-negotiated rates for a variety of basic services, including:

• Fillings
• Exams
• X-rays
• Cleanings
• Dentures
• Extractions
• Root canals
• Crowns

One of the main differences between traditional insurance and dental discount plans is that members of a discount plan don't pay a yearly or monthly premium. Members can expect to pay an enrollment fee and a low membership fee each month, and you'll still pay your dentist directly for the services you receive.

Let's take a look at some of the advantages offered by discount plans:

• There aren't any limitations on the number of office visits you can make each year.
• You don't have to wait to use your benefits because they're available immediately.
• Most plans have no restrictions for age or pre-existing conditions.
• You can change dental providers at any time.
• You don't have to fill out paperwork or pay any deductibles or copays.

One potential drawback to discount plans is they don't provide the same coverage as traditional insurance. If you're in good oral health and don't anticipate needing extensive dental work, a discount plan may work for you. However, traditional insurance for dental services may be a money-saving option if you need a complex procedure or advanced dental work.

Are Options Available for Managing Larger Dental Expenses?

Managing out-of-pocket dental costs can be difficult if you're without dental benefits in Lakeland. Fortunately, there are options available to help seniors pay for dental services. One such option is an in-house payment plan or another financing option offered by many dental practices. Seniors can also apply for a financing program, such as CareCredit, which functions just like a credit card. It's accepted by over 200,000 providers throughout the country, allows users to make monthly payments, and can be used repeatedly for dental services.

Payment options for most medical financing companies range from 24 to 60 months, which can make them a good option for both short-term and long-term financing. Some options even include promotional periods in which no interest is charged to individuals if their entire balance is paid in full within a certain period of time. However, there are some important points to think about when considering medical financing. First, all applicants must fill out an application and pass a credit check. In addition, interest rates for some companies can be as high as 20%, which can greatly increase your overall costs.

To learn more about insurance or discounts on services for seniors, contact our office. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is also a good resource for information on discounts and healthcare services.