Many insurance plans include restrictions that try to shift the cost of your dental care back onto you. However, the end of the benefit plan year provides an opportunity for you to turn the tables on your insurance provider and get the most out of your dental insurance. If you want to maximize the dental services your provider pays for, you should schedule a dental appointment with Dr. Harry McCool in Lilburn GA before the New Year. Here’s why:
- The Yearly Coverage Max
It’s very common for most dental insurance plans to have an annual maximum coverage cap. This amount is somewhere between $1,000 and $1,500 per person, with the coverage amount renewing yearly on January 1st. Because of this, it is sensible to use up to your maximum in the latter months of the year if you can.
- Overlapping Years
If you require several costly related dental procedures, it’s a good idea to schedule them to begin before – and complete after – the start of the New Year. In this way you are reducing your out-of-pocket costs by dipping into the maximums of two benefit years.
- Fee increases
Due to the ever increasing cost of operating expenses such as materials or equipment, practitioners must sometimes raise their fees. After the first of the year, providers review their pricing to determine whether fee increases are necessary. Therefore, if you wait until after the New Year to schedule a necessary dental service, you may end up paying a higher co-pay. Scheduling your appointment with Dr. McCool in November or December, before any potential fee increases, will help you to avoid this.
- Taxes
If your employer provides a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for you to contribute your pay into on a pre-tax basis, it’s to your benefit to use your entire deduction amount for the year. If not, you will be surrendering any unused FSA contribution by the year end deadline. If you have a Health Savings Account (HSA), you can also use the balance to procure dental treatment without suffering any tax penalties.
- Deductibles
It is standard for most dental plans to require you to have paid a set amount of money out-of-pocket before your benefits will start paying out. Once you’ve met your deductible for the current year, you should consider scheduling an appointment with Dr. McCool for any procedure you may have been putting off. After all, once the New Year rolls around, you’ll have to meet the deductible.
- Monthly Premiums
If you are paying out monthly premiums for dental insurance, you should be making use of your insurance to benefit your health. Many people consider dental insurance as a safety net against the high costs of unexpected emergency dental procedures. But, if you aren’t currently suffering from any major dental concerns, you should utilize your benefits for routine services such as cleanings to deal with minor issues before they become serious.
- Dental Problems Will Get Worse
While it’s common for us to put off things we don’t want to do, especially dental work that might be uncomfortable, the vast majority of dental issues will only get worse with time if left untreated. Procrastination can lead to more pain and greater costs when you finally do seek treatment. If you go now, before the end of the year, you will likely pay less for your necessary treatment. On the other hand, if you wait until the next year, you might have to pay more and your dental insurance provider may not be willing to cover a more severe condition. To learn more about the insurance and payment options Dr. McCool accepts, call our offices at 770.450.4407.