On its own, Medicare offers very little coverage for dental procedures. However, it does work in collusion with some other plans in order to broaden its coverage.
Medigap
Medigap works as a supplementary insurance policy that offers dental plans for seniors on Medicare that they would otherwise be without. These are individual policies that can only be availed of once a person is a part of Medicare A and B. The person must additionally pay the premium for Medicare B monthly. There are twelve standardized policies that are sold by private insurance companies and help cover the costs of routine dental procedures.
Medicare Dental Advantage Plans
As one of the dental plans for seniors on Medicare, it offers dental coverage at little or no cost to the patient. However, it is only available for seniors who are eligible for Medicare. They must also have joined fee-for-service plans that have been approved by Medicare. In addition, dentists and hospitals reserve the right to reject the plan and its terms except in the case of an emergency. Benefits vary among customers, and it sold by private firms.
AARP Delta Dental Plans
AARP members aged 50 years and above may benefit from the dental plan offered exclusively to them by Delta. The private coverage offered is fairly flexible and available only to AARP members.
Delta Plan A and B
Delta also offers two types of dental plans to seniors. Plan A is a fee-for-service plan that offers dental coverage through a network of 182,000 providers. Additionally, one receives further benefits
by choosing a dental professional that provides services to Delta customers under contract for a lowered price.
Plan B is a less expensive, more basic version of Plan A and provides partial coverage for a number of procedures.
Choosing a dental plan to complement the coverage provided by Medicare is thus important. It is also essential that the plan covers an individual’s needs and the procedures they require.