San Francisco, Marin, and Oakland, CA
Use it or lose it. This is the credo that applies when it comes to your dental benefits and, unfortunately, it is one that many consumers do not heed. The vast majority of dental insurance plans operate on a calendar year, meaning that when January 1 arrives, any unused benefits for 2017 will go to waste.
At Glen Park Dental, your local San Francisco dentist urges you to use these benefits before they expire at the end of the year by making an appointment today for the following reasons.
Your yearly maximum refers to the maximum amount of money that a dental insurance plan will pay for any single individual in a single calendar year. The typical yearly maximum on dental coverage is approximately $1,000 per person per year but varies depending on your coverage. This maximum expires at the end of each year and if your dental coverage is based on a calendar year, these benefits will not roll over into 2018.
Your deductible is the amount of money you pay out of pocket to your medical provider, be it a doctor or dentist, before your insurance company covers any of the costs. Like yearly maximums, the specific amount of these deductibles depends on which company you use and which plans you select. Also like maximums, deductibles reset at the start of a new year.
Your premium is the amount of money you pay your insurance provider each month and is paid to purchase your benefits for the entire year. If you let the year-end without using all of these benefits, you literally are taking money out of your paycheck and giving it to your insurance company without receiving anything in return. Why not use your dental insurance benefits before they expire?
Plan changes could await you heading into the New Year, especially given all the uncertainty surrounding insurance these days. Your premium costs could increase, and you also may face increases in fees—both from your insurance company and any copays that may be required at each visit. Why not take advantage of your dental benefits now while you know exactly what your costs will be?
Regular dental care is one of the most crucial aspects of maintaining oral health. Delaying any needed dental treatments now only means you will have to face more extensive and costly procedures down the road, as any problems with your teeth and mouth will not just go away by themselves. Also, maintaining a regular schedule of dental visits for a professional cleaning and examination will help your local San Francisco dentist stay on top of your oral health, making it easier to identify any changes or potential problems.
What are you waiting for? Schedule an appointment today with Glen Park Dental to use your dental benefits before they expire at the end of the year. Act now, and it could save you and your family several hundred dollars down the road by avoiding expensive dental treatments that could have been prevented. Just contact our San Francisco office by calling (415) 585-1500 to schedule a consultation.
Glen Park Dental is proud to serve the oral health needs of patients in Marin, Oakland, and San Francisco, California.
