Choosing a dental care plan in California can a very daunting task. With so many dental care plans offered by health maintenance organizations (HMOs), preferred provider organizations (PPOs), and health insurance agencies, choosing one that meets the your needs and that of your other family members can be very confusing. Let us help you in this endeavor by stating the top 5 reasons why should consider the Dental Blue Plans from Anthem Blue Cross of California.
1. You will get access to more than 21,000 dentists – You read it right! By enrolling in any of the four Dental Blue Plans, you can get dental care from more than 21,000 primary and specialty dentists all over California. To search for a primary or specialty care dentist go to anthem.com/ca and click “check the online provider directory.” The link should be located in the middle/right of the page. You are also welcome to contact us here at J.C. Lewis Insurance Services and we can supply you with a directory of dentists located in your area. There is never an extra fee for our services. Many people actually prefer an Insurance Agency like J.C. Lewis because you get to speak to someone live anytime wish. With large insurance companies there may be long wait times and multiple departments. With J.C. Lewis as your broker, you have only one department along with faster service. Similar to DSL Internet versus Cable modems and fast T1 lines:)
2. No deductibles to pay — As long as you use a dentist or dental specialist within the Dental Blue network, you don’t need to pay any deductibles for
teeth cleanings, dental exams and dental X-rays. As long as you pay your monthly premium these services will come to you free of charge.
3. Monetary Savings — All Dental Blue plans provide 100% coverage for the following preventive and diagnostic services: cleanings, dental exams, dental X-rays and dental sealants. Of course, this is under the assumption that you will be using a dentist within the Dental Blue network. Under the Dental Blue 100 Basic plan you will be able to get a negotiated savings for major services even though the plan says they aren’t covered. That’s right! Services such as oral surgery, endodontics, and prosthodontics will be covered at the negotiated savings while using a Dental Blue provider.
4. No waiting periods while using the Dental Blue 100 Basic plan– Once Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company has approved your policy, you can start using your Dental Blue 100 Basic plan to avail of basic and major dental services. If you are just looking to have preventive care options with coverage for your basic fillings and crowns then you found the right plan. There are no waiting periods so you can begin to use your plan immediately.
5. Coverage available now – If you are eager to begin you preventive dental health then you can apply today and be effective on a good, affordable dental plan within 1 week. You will have to allow some time for the processing of the paper work but once that is finished you can begin making appointments after you find a provider that sounds appealing. If you already have a provider in mind it’s important to make sure they accept the coverage. With over 21,000 providers in the state of California there is a good chance that they will accept the coverage.
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.
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!
