Time for the end of the year rush?

Seems like every year November and December mark the beginning of the end... at least the end of the calendar year for dental insurance. This means there are only approximately 45-50 days in which most patients have their dental work covered by their plan in 2017. Most plans tend to be "calendar year plans" in which a new benefit period stars Jan 1st of the new year. Dental plans benefits do not carry benefits over to the next year, so that if you still have funding left on a dental plan it will be lost forever on Jan 1st when a new available amount will be automatically applied for the next 12 months. There is no accrued benefit for not utilizing your maximum benefits from the previous year!

If you haven't been to a dentist this year, now is a good time to schedule an "end of the year appointment" so that there will be time to complete some dental work if any is required. Insurance pre-certifications usually take several weeks or more to be returned, so now is probably also the last chance to make an appointment and have proposed work pre-authorized.

It is also the time when many employees make changes in their insurance coverage (for the next year). If you have a choice of dental plans, it is probably best to call your dentist (if you like him or her) to  find out which of your available plans will allow you to remain as a patient in their office.





from Ask Dr. Spindel - http://lspindelnycdds.blogspot.com/2017/11/time-for-end-of-year-rush.html - http://lspindelnycdds.blogspot.com/

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