Anthem Blue Cross of California’s Dental PPO Explained

With prices of health care rising faster than salaries in California annually, it’s very easy for residents to ignore dental care and go without a dental care plan. However, not having a dental care plan can translate into thousands of dental expenses in the long run. By choosing Anthem Blue Cross of California’s Individual Dental PPO plan, a California resident can avoid paying huge dental expenses by paying as low as $43 every month. What can our lone plan subscriber expect from his Individual Dental PPO plan?

1. Free preventive and diagnostic dental services — Because Anthem believes that prevention is better than cure, it covers 100% of all preventive and diagnostic dental services using in-network dental care providers. For an adult individual, these include the following:

• Two Periodic oral exam
• Comprehensive oral exam
• Dental X-rays
• Two Routine cleaning
• Cleaning with fluoride
• Topical fluoride application only

2. Discounts on basic dental services — Three months from the date the individual’s dental PPO plan has started, the plan holder will be eligible for the basic dental services. Now, these aren’t free but using in-network dentists will result to huge savings on the part of the individual. Here’s a list of the basic services that Anthem covers:

• Fillings
• Tooth Extraction
• Surgical removal of erupted tooth
• Extraction of impacted tooth

3. Savings on major dental services — Twelve months or a year after the individual dental PPO plan has been activated, a plan holder is eligible for such major dental services as:

• Scaling/Root planning
• Gingivectomy
• Osseous surgery – four or more
• contiguous teeth
• Root canal
• Dental Inlay and Onlay
• Crowns
• Pontic
• Dentures

Keep in mind that Anthem only covers a portion of the costs of these major dental services. However, these still translates to hundreds of dollars in savings for the individual who is enrolled in the plan.

4. Pay $50 in deductibles –  Aside from his monthly premium, an individual should expect to pay as much as $50 in deductibles for basic and major dental services only.  As mentioned above, all preventive and diagnostic services are fully covered by Anthem. Any amount in excuse of the $50 will be shouldered by Anthem, provided that the dental care provider used by the plan holder belongs in their network.

5. Receive a total of $1000 in benefits — As will be stipulated in the plan holder’s policy, Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company will shoulder only up to $1,000 in dental care expenses. Assuming that you will pay the smallest monthly premium of $43 a month plus the $50 deductible, Anthem’s will be shouldering $520 of your dental expenses for the year. That’s $520 of savings for you!

In the event that your dental expenses exceed that maximum benefit of $1000 before the year ends, you still have the advantage of availing discounted dental services at rates negotiated by Anthem with the dental care provider.

So if you are a permanent, legal resident of California, call J.C. Lewis Insurance Services now and find out how you can enroll in this affordable dental PPO plan.

Healthy mouth for a healthy body

Did you know that recent research links poor oral health to other serious diseases?  Studies show that gum disease is associated with many different health conditions such as diabetes, stroke and heart disease.

What does this mean? Your routine dental check ups are more important than ever!

Since many people see their dentist more often than their primary care physician, dental professionals are often the first ones to notice the signs and symptoms of disease.

During a typical exam your dentist will look for specific indicators. For example:

• A fiery red tongue or inflammation of the corners of the mouth may signal anemia.
• Distinctive breath odor, dry mouth, and high rate of tooth decay, may suggest diabetes.
• Heart disease may result in pain radiating from the jaw, which occurs when the heart muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen.
• Kidney failure often shows up in the form of a strange metallic taste and ulcers on the tongue and gums.
• HIV is frequently accompanied by unexplained sores, oral yeast infections, and white areas on the sides of the tongue that can’t be removed.
• Dentists can also detect eating disorders such as Anorexia and Bulimia. These conditions can erode tooth enamel and cause fillings to be raised above the tooth surface.

With the low cost and minimal effort it takes to keep your mouth healthy, brushing, flossing and seeing the dentist once ever 6 months doesn’t seem so bad after all!

If getting regular semi-annual dental check ups has never been a priority of yours, and you would like to start today, please feel free to get a dental insurance quote to find the best dental plan for you. The plans start at just $20 a month and cover your dental check ups free of charge!

California dental insurance agent

Dental insurance is a bit more straight forward and easier to obtain than health insurance. While it is possible to quickly be approved for just about any type of dental coverage in California, it is still a good idea to speak with an experienced California dental insurance agent before you make a decision as to what plan to buy.

Most people are unaware that a standard PPO dental plan carries with it waiting periods before one may receive care. These waiting periods typically don’t apply to preventative care services such as teeth cleanings and x-rays, however a 3 month waiting period is usually applied to basic services like fillings and space maintainers. If the person requires care for major services like oral surgery, root canals and crowns, up to a 12 month waiting period may be assessed! With most individual California PPO dental plans, orthodontics are usually not covered. This means that people who require braces and retainers will pay full price for these procedures.

For the Californian who requires immediate care for major services (including orthodontics), one should take a look at DeltaCare USA’s Individual and Family Dental Program. Although you will most likely have to sacrifice going to your regular dentist, care for major services can be administered as soon as the plan becomes effective. There is no deductible, lifetime maximum or waiting periods. At a $97 annual premium ($225 for family) DeltaCare USA is one of the most cost effective dental options that provides immediate comprehensive care.

For more information on DeltaCare USA for individuals and families please contact J.C. Lewis Insurance Services. We can answer all your dental related questions and show you the available dentists that are contracted with the DeltaCare USA plan here in California.