Can you use dental insurance in conjuction with a dental plan- or just the dental plan?

My husband has a PPO dental plan that applies everything to the yearly deductable- which is very high. It also has a maximum benefit that only pays $1,000 per year per person. This covers the family including the kids. I have an HMO plan- which I'm finding out most dentists in the area refuse to accept anymore. Because the HMO locks you into a dentist- I'm stuck until open enrollment. The dentist that we selected refuses to honor the HMO insurance as the secondary coverage. They claim that they don't make enough so they don't have to honor the plans fee structure- so they bill us the difference. I have paid what my HMO carrier has indicated as being due but the dentists office refuses to clear the account and state it as current. They are also refusing to allow us to move our care to another dentist. But the HMO indicates that they are sure willing to accept their monthly payments from the HMO carrier.





Is typical dental insurance worth it? I seem to be paying more w/ a PPO

Can you use dental insurance in conjuction with a dental plan- or just the dental plan?
I don't quite understand. If a dentist is in the HMO network they have to take the HMO payments. Who is refusing to let you change dentists? You must go to a dentist in the network if you are using an HMO. If you go out of network then yes, you have to pay what the dentist bills you; they don't have to accept what the HMO would pay.





HMO plans are less expensive for you because the dentist have to agree to the HMO fee schedule, which is why many dentist are refusing to accept the HMO plans.





You have five options with dental.





1. Go without insurance. If you have good teeth and just want the basics you probably don't need any plan. A yearly cleaning and exam and even an occasional filling will cost you less without insurance.





2. Visit a local dental school. You can get many procedures done for a reduced price if you're willing to let them practice on you.





3. Insurance - Depending upon the policy: cost $30-$60 per month. You pay a $50 deductible first, they have an annual maximum that they'll pay per year of $750 - $1500, they have a waiting period up to 18 months for major work and then you're paying 50% of the charges. Example - average cost for a root canal in my area is $829. With insurance you pay $414 after paying 18 months of premium (around $800 or $900). Advantage - you can use any dentist with most plans unless they are HMO or PPO plans.





4. Discount plans - Cost - $5-$12 per month. No deductible, no annual maximum and no waiting periods. Also, hardly any dentists will accept the plan and when they do you MIGHT get a 10% discount, which is about the same discount you can get by paying cash. Example - average cost for a root canal in my area is $829. With discount plans you pay around $746. Be very wary of these plans because most are scams. The people that sell these plans have little or no knowledge about health %26amp; dental insurance and do not need a license to sell them. The plans are not regulated by the state so you have no recourse when you have problems. Some states are starting to ban these plans from being sold. Here is an informative link http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/wes... concerning these plans.





5. Fee for Service discount plans - Cost $7-$15 per month. No deductible, no annual maximum and no waiting periods. Many dentist will accept the plan (check providers first before signing up with any plan). When you use the plan there is a set fee that the dentist will charge you. Example - average cost for a root canal in my area is $829. With fee for service plans you pay as little as $404.





I'm an insurance agent and my personal plan is the fee for service plan. I got mine here http://www.dpbrokers.com/default.aspx?lo... specifically the Aetna Dental Access plan but which one you get depends upon your area and comparing the fee schedule to find the best for what you need covered.
Reply:Yikes! What a mess for you! At house we recently lost our coverage and made a switch to a dental benefits program. It costs us $20 a month and has been a great help to our family. The providers offer their services at a discount cost and you pay the remaining amount. Often it is preferred over insurance because the providers get paid upfront with out having to wait for insurance companies to get it straight. It also comes with vision, chiropractic, and RX at no extra cost. Go to the website below and check it out and see if you have any providers in your area. Maybe you could use this plan with out having to have all the high costs and hassle. Well Wishes!