Crowns, fillings, cleanings, and dentures—they all cost quite a lot of money. Luckily, several companies offer dental plans that will help you cover the cost of these procedures. Senior dental plans are offered by many insurance companies; these plans help in paying for oral health procedures.
Why the need for senior dental plans?
Medicare and Medicaid do not include oral health procedures. Some plans available through Medicare or Medicaid do cover certain dental procedures such as teeth extractions. However, the cost of procedures such as cleaning is incurred by the patient.
The need for these procedures often increases as we age. Senior dental plans thus help in covering the cost of these more routine oral procedures. In addition, these plans also tend to cover more expensive procedures such as tooth replacement and primary tooth repair. These procedures are also not covered by Medicare and Medicaid.
Based on the current status of healthcare, senior citizens are given four options:
- Incur the full cost of the procedure
- Avail of the Medicare Advantage Plan which provides limited dental coverage at an additional monthly cost.
- Purchase individual dental insurance. However, this usually limits your coverage.
- Join a Dental Savings Plan and get a 20–60% discount on dental procedures.
There is no specific senior dental plan that can be recommended as better than the others. When you choose a senior dental plan, you must consider two factors—your budget and the urgency of dental treatment. Based on this, you can choose from one of two options, namely dental insurance, and Dental Savings Plans. It should be noted, however, that insurance may be refused if you have a pre-existing dental condition.