Posts Tagged ‘Insurance’

4 Qualities to Consider when Evaluating a Dental Malpractice Insurance Provider from the Professional Protector Plan for Dentists(R) – YAHOO!

PRWeb – 

Dental Insurance In The Uk – 1UP.COM

There has been a long history of the field of dentistry in fact the first â??registeredâ?? dentist was Sir John Tomes round about 1878 and he is known as the father of British dentistry. Sir John Tomes had a very long and illustrious career plus he was a key player in getting dentistry accepted as a profession rather than a trade. Prior to this registration anyone could declare themselves a dentist and you would have had your teeth seen to by blacksmiths, barbers or even wig makers! Luckily the dentistry profession these days only has trained and certified individuals in it which is certainly good news for any person requiring a tooth out! Through the lifetime of Sir John Tomes there was no sort of dental insurance and any sort of treatment would only have been available to the wealthy I imagine.

There is simply no doubt that individuals with no dental insurance will probably visit the dentist less because they simply cannot afford it, but that might indicate they may be storing up big problems for the future. Any gum or tooth problems you neglect could become worse and in the end turn out to be fatal in some circumstances. If you don’t take care of your teeth it can cause gum disease and according to some research gum disease increases your chances of heart disease. The connection between heart and gum disease has been know for some time and research continues into this however the main idea would be that the excess bacteria in the mouth is released into the blood stream where it may cause infection round the heart area. The bottom line is looking after your teeth may possibly save your life.

Any dental work is pricey even at National health service prices the expense could be more than quite a few on lower earnings can afford and lot’s will not meet the criteria for totally free treatment. As dental insurance packages start out as little as five pounds is there any reason to not have some in place, when you consider that a couple of lots of National health service treatments such as crowns or tooth braces will still cost to the tune of £408. Paying out insurance premiums around eighty to one hundred pounds per year would actually save you a ton of money even on National health service rates. Plenty of plans are National health service treatment specific and they’ll usually ensure that you get 100% of your fees back. Private dental plans will set you back more and although you might only get fifty to eighty percent of your costs given back that can however be a substantial amount of cash on high priced treatment options.

Many of us do care for our teeth and gums and it is second nature to us, unfortunately if you take a peek around any high-street you will observe perfect instances of dreadful oral cleanliness on some individuals!It does not matter if you are solo or a couple with Two or three children, dental insurance may be a big money saver through a year. Caring for your teeth usually means seeing the dentist significantly less which will cost you a great deal less for treatment, so get those teeth brushed, flossed and rinsed with mouthwash and help save your life and some cash!

Dental Insurance Plans Best Individual

Toothache + No Health Insurance = Death

From the Majority Report, live MF 11:30am EST or via daily podcast at Majority.FM Kyle Willis, an unemployed 24 year old father from Cincinnati, has died because of a toothache that became infected and spread to his brain. How did this happen…and in America, no less? Because he did not have insurance and could not afford treatment.

School district’s insurance proposal aims to avoid cuts – stevenspointjournal.com

Proposed changes in dental and health insurance plans in the Stevens Point Area Public School District are aimed at avoiding a $ 1.3 million hit from premium increases.

Security Health and Delta Dental told the district its plans’ premium costs for district staff members were going to increase, said Keith Williams, the district’s human resources director.

The increase was the result of the loss ratio — the premiums paid by the district versus the actual amount paid for medical care — for this fiscal year of about 95 percent. Most insurance companies target a loss ratio of 83 percent, Williams said.

The district’s medical insurance premiums increased by 9.3 percent, and its dental insurance premiums increased by 7.5 percent, a total of $ 15,741, with an increase of 9.3 percent for medical insurance and 7.5 percent for dental insurance, a total bill of more than $ 15.74 million for 2012-13, an increase of about $ 1.3 million from the previous year.

In an effort to avoid budget cuts to make up for the increase in the 2012-13 budget, Williams said district officials met with the insurance groups to eliminate the increases, coming up with a proposal that includes plan changes and a 3.8 percent reduction in the health plan premium increase.

“We didn’t want to be in a position where we would have to absorb this increase by laying off teachers or staff or affecting programs,” Williams said. “These changes help us accomplish that.”

The School Board on Monday could approve the proposal entirely or in sections, make adjustments, reject it or simply discuss it and send it back to the district’s Human Resources Committee.

Included in the changes are the addition of a $ 20 co-pay for office visits for the district’s two health insurance plans — Indemnity and Point of Service. The Indemnity plan also would see an increase in the emergency room co-pay from $ 10 to $ 100 per visit. The POS plan would see an out-of-pocket deductible added of $ 350 for single coverage and $ 700 for family coverage, along with an increase in prescription co-pay from $ 2 for generic, $ 7 for name brand and $ 7 for nonpreferred medication to $ 5, $ 10 and $ 25, respectively.

The proposal also calls for a third, high-deductible plan to be added. The plan would have no premium cost or co-pays for office visits or prescriptions, but would have a maximum deductible of $ 1,350 for single, as compared to $ 350 for the other two plans, and $ 2,700 for family, compared to $ 700 for the other two plans.

Contributions from employees for the dental premium also would increase in the proposal to 12.6 percent across the board, except for those employees who currently contribute 20 percent, which include custodians and transportation staff members. Currently, teachers, administration and clerical staff members contribute 8 percent to family plans, while the remaining do not contribute to the premium.

Dental Insurance, but No Dentists – New York Times

WE know that too many Americans can’t afford primary care and end up in the emergency room with asthma or heart failure. But in the debate over health care coverage, less attention has been paid to the fact that too many Americans also end up in the emergency room with severe tooth abscesses that keep them from eating or infections that can travel from decayed teeth to the brain and, if untreated, kill.

More than 830,000 visits to emergency rooms nationwide in 2009 were for preventable dental problems. In my state of Georgia, visits to the E.R. for oral health problems cost more than $ 23 million in 2007. According to more recent data from Florida, the bill exceeded $ 88 million. And dental disease is the No. 1 chronic childhood disease, sending more children in search of medical treatment than asthma. In a nation obsessed with high-tech medicine, people are not getting preventive care for something as simple as tooth decay.

It’s easy to understand why. Close to 50 million Americans live in rural or poor areas where dentists do not practice. Most dentists do not accept Medicaid patients. And the shortage of dentists is going to get only worse: by 2014, under the Affordable Care Act, 5.3 million more children will be entitled to dental benefits from Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Little is being done — by the dental profession or by the federal or state governments — to prepare for it.

During the physician shortage of the middle of the last century, the federal government began creating about 50 new medical schools, doubling the number of graduating doctors. Today our government can and should train more dentists to address the long-term problem. But there is no guarantee that the new recruits would practice in underserved areas, and we need practitioners now.

A more immediate solution is to train dental therapists who can provide preventive care and routine procedures like sealants, fillings and simple extractions outside the confines of a traditional dentist’s office. Dental therapists are common worldwide, and yet in the United States they practice only in Alaska and Minnesota, where state law allows it. Legislation is pending in five more states.

The dental profession has resisted efforts to allow midlevel providers to deliver this kind of care, and the government has so far failed to push for the change. It must do so now. The federal government could encourage states to pass laws allowing these providers to practice by calling for demonstration projects proving their worth.

The best model for how this system can work is found in remote Alaska Native villages, many accessible only by plane, snowmobile or dogsled, where high school seniors once graduated with full sets of dentures. Unable to recruit dentists to these areas, Alaska has been training its own dental therapists.

When Alaska began the project in 2003, there were no training programs in the country, so the state first sent students to New Zealand, which had a rigorous training program for dental therapists. These therapists now travel to small clinics and schools, often carrying their equipment with them. They consult with a supervising dentist from the region but do most procedures themselves. Many were raised in the communities in which they now work, so they understand the culture, children trust them and they have quickly become local health care leaders. Thanks to the program, around 35,000 people now live in communities where there is regular access to dental care.

We have two years to prepare before millions of children will be entitled to access to dental care, and Alaska shows us the way forward. Access means more than having an insurance card; it means having professionals available to provide care. Public officials should foster the creation of these midlevel providers — and dentists should embrace the opportunity to broaden the profession so they can expand services to those in need.

Dental Insurance: Should You Bite?

You know how important it is to have medical insurance, but should you have dental insurance as well?

CARDIN SAYS NEW HHS RULE WITH STRENGTHEN CHILDREN’S DENTAL COVERAGE IN HEALTH INSURANCE EXCHANGES – Insurance News Net

March 15, 2012

Contact: Susan Sullam, 410-962-4436

CARDIN SAYS HHS RULE WILL STRENGTHEN CHILDREN’S DENTAL COVERAGE OFFERED IN HEALTH INSURANCE EXCHANGES

Cardin authored letter signed by 11 Senators urging HHS Secretary Sebelius to provide strong consumer protections in health insurance exchanges

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today lauded the forceful consumer protections for stand-alone dental plans that will be offered in health insurance exchanges, which will be available for individuals and small businesses as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) starting January 1, 2014. The ACA requires states to include pediatric oral health care as part of the Essential Benefits package, and permits that coverage to be made available through either comprehensive health plans or stand-alone dental plans.

In October, Senator Cardin and 11 other Senators wrote to Secretary Sebelius urging her to ensure strong protections for dental plan in the health exchanges. In addition to Senator Cardin, the letter to the Secretary was signed by the following Senators: Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Robert Casey, Jr. (D-PA), Al Franken (D-MN), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD), John Rockefeller (D-WVA), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), and Tom Udall (D-NM).

“Tooth decay is the most prevalent chronic condition affecting our nation’s children, and that’s why guaranteeing oral health care coverage in the Affordable Care Act is essential,” said Senator Cardin. “The final rule ensures that patients in stand-alone dental plans will benefit from the same consumer protections that apply to other health plans in the exchange, whenever applicable.”

The Department of Health and Human Services this week issued its “Rule on the Establishment of Exchanges and Qualified Health Plans.” It requires plans in exchanges to provide:

* protections against high out-of-pocket costs;

* families the option of selecting a child-only dental plan;

* solvency standards equivalent to those in medical plans;

* adequate provider networks, and;

* vigorous certification standards.

“Moving forward, states have a critical role to play in ensuring that the ACA’s pediatric oral health benefit is designed to provide incentives to encourage prevention, recognize that some children are at greater risk for dental disease than others, and deliver care based on that risk. These rules provide a great start as states begin to prepare for enrollment through the health insurance exchanges in 2014,” said Senator Cardin.

Myths about Dental Insurance – SooToday.com

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CARDIN SAYS HHS RULE WILL STRENGTHEN CHILDREN’S DENTAL COVERAGE OFFERED IN HEALTH INSURANCE EXCHANGES – Insurance News Net

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today lauded the forceful consumer protections for stand-alone dental plans that will be offered in health insurance exchanges, which will be available for individuals and small businesses as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) starting January 1, 2014. The ACA requires states to include pediatric oral health care as part of the Essential Benefits package, and permits that coverage to be made available through either comprehensive health plans or stand-alone dental plans.

In October, Senator Cardin and 11 other Senators wrote to Secretary Sebelius urging her to ensure strong protections for dental plan in the health exchanges. In addition to Senator Cardin, the letter to the Secretary was signed by the following Senators: Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Robert Casey, Jr. (D-PA), Al Franken (D-MN), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD), John Rockefeller (D-WVA), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), and Tom Udall (D-NM).

“Tooth decay is the most prevalent chronic condition affecting our nation’s children, and that’s why guaranteeing oral health care coverage in the Affordable Care Act is essential,” said Senator Cardin. “The final rule ensures that patients in stand-alone dental plans will benefit from the same consumer protections that apply to other health plans in the exchange, whenever applicable.”

The Department of Health and Human Services this week issued its “Rule on the Establishment of Exchanges and Qualified Health Plans.” It requires plans in exchanges to provide:

. protections against high out-of-pocket costs;

. families the option of selecting a child-only dental plan;

. solvency standards equivalent to those in medical plans;

. adequate provider networks, and;

. vigorous certification standards.

“Moving forward, states have a critical role to play in ensuring that the ACA’s pediatric oral health benefit is designed to provide incentives to encourage prevention, recognize that some children are at greater risk for dental disease than others, and deliver care based on that risk. These rules provide a great start as states begin to prepare for enrollment through the health insurance exchanges in 2014,” said Senator Cardin.

Read this original document at: http://www.cardin.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/cardin-says-hhs-rule-will-strengthen-childrens-dental-coverage-offered-in-health-insurance-exchanges

Should You Bite On Dental Insurance? – Yahoo Finance

There’s no question that dental work is expensive – especially when you need to have major work done. If you’re not covered through your job, you may have to purchase it on your own. However, purchased privately, dental insurance can be a huge waste of money if your plan doesn’t match your needs. In this article we’ll show you how to drill through these plans to find out if dental insurance is right for you.

SEE: Should You Bite On Dental Insurance?

Overview of the System
First, here’s a breakdown of how private dental insurance works. You select a plan based on the providers (dentists) you want to be able to choose from and what you can afford to pay:

• If you already have a dentist you like and he or she’s in the insurance company’s network, you’ll be able to opt for one of the less expensive plans.
  
• If you don’t have a dentist at all, great! You can choose from any of the dentists who are in-network, and again have the option of a less expensive plan.
  
• If your existing dentist is not in the network, you can still get insurance, but you’ll pay significantly more to see an out-of-network provider – so much more that you may not have any chance at coming out ahead by being insured.

The monthly premiums will depend on the insurance company, your location and the plan you choose. For many people, the monthly premium will be around $ 50 a month. This means that you’re spending $ 600 on dental costs each year even if you don’t get any work done.

SEE: How An Insurance Company Determines Your Premiums

Things to Consider
Now, you may be thinking that most people don’t come out ahead with most kinds of insurance, and you may be right. After all, if insurance companies didn’t make a profit, they would all go out of business. Insurance is designed to protect you in a worst-case scenario. Dental insurance is significantly different from most other kinds of insurance, however. With policies like health insurance or homeowners insurance, the potential downside is so high that almost no one can afford the risk of not being insured. With dental insurance, the potential downside is fairly low – and so is the potential upside.

In a good year when you only need the standard cleanings, exams and x-rays, you are likely to lose about $ 200 by having dental insurance. While these services will generally be completely covered by your insurance because they are considered preventive care. If you paid out of pocket for them you would probably only spend around $ 400 for the year instead of the $ 600 you’re spending on insurance premiums.

Will It Be There When You Need It?
What about when you need some work done? In a really bad year, your dentist may inform you that you need a couple of fillings, a root canal and a crown. On top of that, you’ll still have to pay for your usual cleanings, exams and x-rays. This is the time to be insured, right? Unfortunately, your insurance may not be as helpful as you’d expect. Many dental insurance plans have very low annual maximums of around $ 1,000 (this will vary by plan and by provider, of course). This means that once your dental bills exceed $ 1,000 in any given year, you’re stuck paying the rest of the bills in full.

You may still pay a lower negotiated fee for the work you need as a benefit of having insurance, but even the negotiated fees are quite high. For example, if the dentist’s regular fee for a filling is $ 150, the negotiated fee might be $ 100. In this situation, your regular oral maintenance and fillings will use up most or all of your annual maximum, so only a fraction of your large dental work bill will actually be covered. You’re likely to still pay $ 1,000 to $ 2,000 out of pocket, plus your annual $ 600 in premiums. On top of that, while you may pay 0-10% in co-pays on preventive maintenance and 20% in co-pays on fillings, the co-pay on expensive procedures like root canals tends to be a whopping 50%. Even if you haven’t used up your annual maximum by the time you need the expensive procedure, you’ll still have to pay several hundred dollars for it.

Dental insurance also rarely covers expensive procedures like orthodontics and cosmetic dentistry, even if you try to argue that you need a procedure to alleviate emotional pain and suffering. When insurance does cover them, the annual maximums still often prevent you from saving very much, if anything, after you factor in your biannual cleanings and exams.

Waiting Could Be Worse
If you’re thinking that you’ll just hold out and then purchase dental insurance when you need it, think again. Because of what’s called a waiting or probationary period, this strategy won’t work (you didn’t really think you’d found a way to outsmart the insurance companies, did you?). Waiting periods mean that, for example, one year after you first become insured, your insurance will not cover any major work (like crowns or root canals) and for three months after you first become insured, they won’t pay for any minor work (like fillings). Insurance companies know that when you need a filling or a crown, you need it now – you won’t be able to find out you need a crown, buy insurance, wait 12 months, and then get it taken care of. If you tried to do that, you’d probably suffer from a lot of discomfort and ultimately lose your tooth (and you’d have to pay full price for that extraction, too).

SEE: Are Vision And Dental Plans Worth It?

Considerations for Group Plans
Surprisingly, even if your employer offers dental insurance, you might be better off skipping it. Many people assume that employer-sponsored benefits are automatically a good deal because you’re receiving a group rate, but this isn’t necessarily true. When evaluating your employer’s dental plan, make sure to really look at the monthly payments, the annual maximum and the co-payments. Your employer may offer you a great plan that’s only $ 20 a month to cover your entire family with a generous annual maximum, or a mediocre plan that’s $ 40 a month with a $ 1,000 annual maximum. With the former, you can really benefit, but with the latter, you’re probably wasting your money. Do the math for your own situation to determine whether you’re likely to come out ahead.

There is one situation where it can make sense to get dental insurance regardless of whether it seems like a good deal in the long run, and that is if you are someone who is currently living from paycheck-to-paycheck with little or no money in savings. When you don’t have dental insurance, you have to be able to pay a $ 1,600 bill when you have the work done (if not in full, then in prompt installments). If you can’t do it and your options are to overpay for dental insurance, neglect your only set of teeth or put dental work on a credit card that you’ll have trouble paying off, your best bet is to get the insurance. You’ll probably waste less money on insurance than you would paying interest on a credit card, not to mention that you wouldn’t want to ruin your credit score over a few fillings.

Parting Thoughts
If you can’t participate in a quality group plan – either a preferred provider plan (PPO) or a Dental Health Maintenance Organization (DHMO) – the best way for most people to come out ahead on dental expenses is to pay for everything out of pocket. Brushing and flossing regularly, switching to an inexpensive electric toothbrush, getting professional cleanings every six months and going to a dentist who does high quality work that lasts for years can be the most effective ways to save money in the long run.

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