Dental Insurance Benefits: Use Them or Lose Them

Fall is one of the busiest times of the year for many of us. Children and parents are still adjusting to the new school year, fall sport seasons are winding down and everyone is preparing for Thanksgiving, the holidays and end of the year celebrations. Not to mention mom and dad are still working hard providing for the families.

With all this activity preoccupying your time, Smilez Pediatric Dentists of Gainesville  just wanted to remind our friends and family to schedule your child’s dentist appointments before the end of the year. Because if you don’t use your 2016 pediatric dental insurance benefits before December 31, 2016 you lose them!  Dental insurance doesn’t roll over to the following year.

Besides scheduling an appointment for tooth pain or a routine cleaning and exam, here are five reasons to schedule your child’s pediatric dentist appointment in Gainesville VA.

Fee Increases and Changes in Coverage

In 2017 we’re betting there will be a lot of changes to our healthcare system and coverage. Therefore, use your benefits before the end of 2016 as there could be fee increases or a reduction in services covered under your current plan.

Don’t Forget To Use Your Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

Another great reason to schedule a dentist appointment before the end of 2016 is to spend any remaining balance in your flexible spending account (FSA). This is an account that you establish through your employer, and that you may have elected to have some of your pre-tax pay put into.

Insurance Premiums may be going up (hopefully not)

Through your existing insurance carrier, you are paying dental insurance premiums every month. You’ve more than likely already paid the cost of another visit. Even if your child doesn’t have any pain or issues, your kids should always have regular dental cleanings and screenings looking for early signs of gum disease, cavities, gum recession.

Yearly Maximum

Most dental insurance programs have an annual dollar maximum. This is the max dollar amount a dental insurance company will pay toward the cost of care within a specific benefit period (usually January through December). You are responsible for paying costs above the annual maximum.

If you have unused benefits, these will not rollover. This amount varies by insurance company and usually renews every year.

Your Insurance Deductible

Your deductible is the amount of money you pay out of pocket to your child’s dentist before your insurance plan will pay for dental services. If you already paid your deductible, but only visited the dentist once, you are not “getting your monies worth”. Your deductible also starts again each new year.

Call us now to schedule a dental appointment for your child. Because so many of our patients realize this last minute, November and December appointment slots fill up very quickly. We’ll be happy to discuss your remaining benefits and answer any questions you may have.