Insurance plans frequently include stipulations to shift the cost of dental care back onto you. However, the end of the year turns the tables and offers an opportunity for you to get the most out of your insurance providers. If you want more bang from your dental benefit bucks, here’s why you should schedule a dental appointment with Drs Shawna Hoffert or Mallory Harris at Red Maple Dental in Asheville NC before the New Year.
- The Yearly Max
Dental insurance plans usually have an annual maximum coverage cap. Usually, this amount is falls somewhere between $1,000 and $1,500 per person, with the coverage amount renewing on the first of the new year. Since this amount resets January 1st, it makes sense to attempt to use up to your maximum if you can.
- Overlapping Years
If you have a number of costly related dental procedures you need to have, it is possible to schedule them to start before – and complete after – the start of the New Year. In this way you reduce your out-of-pocket costs by dipping into the maximums of two benefit years.
- Taxes
If your employer provides a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to contribute to out of your pay on a pre-tax basis as a benefit, it’s in your best interest to use your entire deduction amount for the year. If not, you will be walking away from any FSA contribute you don’t use by the end of year deadline. If you have a Health Savings Account (HSA), you are allowed to use the balance to improve your oral health without suffering any tax penalties.
- Deductibles
Most dental plans require you to pay up to a specific amount of money out-of-pocket before your benefits start paying for procedures. Once your deductible has been met, consider scheduling an appointment at Red Maple Dental for any procedure you may have been putting off. After all, after January first rolls around, you’ll have to meet that deductible all over again.
- Monthly Premiums
If you pay monthly premiums for your dental coverage, you should be using those benefits. Many people treat dental insurance as a safeguard against high costs related to unexpected emergency dental procedures. However, even if you don’t currently have any serious dental concerns, you should make use of your benefits to have routine services such as cleanings. This helps to detect minor issues before they become serious.
- Fee increases
The increasing cost of materials, equipment and staffing, means that practitioners must raise their fees occasionally. As the New Year begins, providers often review their service pricing to determine whether fee increases are needed to cover overhead. If you wait until after the New Year, you may have to pay a higher co-pay. For this reason it makes good sense to schedule your appointment in November or December, before any potential fee increases.
- Dental Problems Will Get Worse
While it’s not unusual to put off things we don’t want to do, especially when that thing is dental work that might be uncomfortable, the vast majority of dental issues will only get worse with time. Procrastination can lead to more discomfort and higher costs when you finally do seek treatment. If you see Dr. Hoffert or Dr. Harris now, before the end of the year, you are likely to pay less for your treatment. On the other hand, if you wait, you may have to pay more due to the problem being more serious or complicated and your dental insurance provider may not be willing to contribute as much toward a higher cost procedure.
To learn more about the insurance and payment options we accept at Red Maple Dental, call our offices at (828)-358-1925.