Blue Shield of California – Stand Alone Dental Plans
Dental coverage can be confusing for many people to understand. This can sometimes deter individuals from purchasing a plan. However, it is extremely important to maintain the health of your teeth, otherwise, this can impact your overall health; leading to serious medial problems. Blue Shield of California is constructed to abolish this confusion and ensure that dental coverage is something that everyone can acquire with confidence.
Simplicity:
- You know exactly what you will pay upfront, so there are no hidden fees or surprises. This is extremely helpful when you are factoring your monthly or yearly medical costs into your budget.
- The premiums you do pay out of pocket are reasonable and inexpensive.
- Blue Shield of California’s dental plans are stand alone. This means you don’t have to be on a medical policy to apply for one!
- You will have access to one dental PPO and one dental HMO. This eliminates any confusion or frustration when trying to locate a dentist.
Advantages:
- You have access to a vast network of dentists and dental specialists.
- There is no waiting period for diagnostic and preventative services.
- Orthodontic benefits are available to both adults and children.
- You will be charged a minor – or no deductible – each calendar year, depending if you use a PPO or HMO dentist.
Value:
- After only two preventative visits, your plan is basically paid for. Each visit thereafter will cost you less than if you didn’t purchase any insurance coverage at all.
Ease:
- Blue Shield of California makes your monthly budgeting easier by giving you the option to combine both your medical and dental premiums together into one monthly statement.
We have mentioned PPO and HMO several times, but what exactly are they? These are two different groups available to access medical and dental care.
PPO (Preferred Provider Organization)
With a PPO plan, you are permitted to visit any dentist you wish – and there are over 19,000 in California to choose from. Although there is a list of preferred dentists, you will still receive coverage if you visit one outside of the network. A worthwhile benefit to a PPO is that your out of pocket expenses are lower then you seek out a dentist within our network. Although your premiums through PPO plans are usually more than through an HMO, you have more flexibility and fewer restrictions.
HMO (Health Maintenance Organization)
With an HMO plan, your costs – including premiums and out of pocket expenses – will be lower than if you opt for a PPO. You will also have no deductible on selected services. An HMO is more restrictive than a PPO however. You must visit a dentist that is listed on their directory; you will have a choice of approximately 8,600 dentists. If you instead choose to obtain services from a non-network facility, you will receive no coverage.
Everyone has different and unique needs when it comes to dental care, so the decision between these two plans is ultimately up to the individual.
Dr.Ernest Wong, DDS MS a San Diego Dentist provide perfect cosmetic dentistry solution without any pain.