Soon we will be joining with friends and family to celebrate the joys and sorrows of 2016 as we usher in the start of 2017. As the New Year begins, your dental insurance policy also starts anew.
Now is the time to make sure you’ve maximized your 2016 benefits. According to the National Association of Dental Providers less than 3% of patients covered by dental insurance plans reach their annual maximums. The result is that many employers and privately insured families are paying for benefits they are not using.
If you’re curious about what benefits you may have remaining for 2016, here’s a quick 4-step guide.
1. Review Your Regular Visits
Has everyone covered under your plan had their basic treatment including cleanings, x-rays, and exams?
2. Check Your Yearly Deductible
With most insurance plans, the average deductible is around $50 per year and it resets at the beginning of every year. If you’ve reached your deductible, treatment covered by your plan will typically be covered by your insurance from now until the end of the year. If you’ve been postponing treatment, now may be the time to call the Whitlock team.
3. Consider Your Flexible Savings Account (FSA)
Some employers offer a pre-tax spending account for health related expenses. If you have an FSA, you may want to see how much money you have remaining for 2016. You definitely don’t want to leave money in the account because it will vanish as we usher in 2017.
4. Assess Your Annual Coverage Limit
Have you reached your annual coverage limit? Let’s say your annual limit is $1000 and you’ve only spent $250 to date. That means you have $750 available to spend on dental treatment before you reach your limit.
We’re Here to Help You
The Whitlock team understands the complexities of dealing with dental insurance. We can help you quickly determine what benefits you may have remaining for 2016.