Understanding Dental Insurance Plans For Seniors

By David Peterson


Many people feel that the care of their teeth may no longer be needed as they get older. That is a problem for children and younger people. However, not only do seniors have special needs, as well as sometimes having the same problems as those younger ones. This means it is important to consider dental insurance plans for seniors. Most offer a significant discount for services.

Several situations can occur because of the amount of dental hygiene and care the person had during their early life. Early neglect can lead to issues late in life. Though not necessarily due to neglect, some problems occurring are jawbone deformity due to loss of teeth, which may or may not be due to early neglect. Root decay and gum disease is also sometimes the result of neglect. Oral cancer can arise at any time, including the latter years. During the older years, fillings and crowns may be lost.

The plan from the Federal Health Marketplace at healthcare.gov can be obtained when purchasing a medical plan from them. There are no federal subsidies available for these, however. A very few state-run marketplaces allow a stand-alone purchases without purchasing a medical plan. Also, some brokers, agents and insurance companies provide plans for purchase.

Some Medicare Advantage Programs offer a small amount of coverage, probably not nearly enough for most needs. Medicare only provides coverage when the medical and dental needs coincide. Medicaid in some states provide plans, for the very low income. It is not available in all states, though. You should check check with you state to see if it is available and how much is available.

A dental savings plan is another possible solution. With this plan, the dentist offers a significant discount. These discounts vary for 30 to 60%. These vary from provider to provider, and among different plans. There are no caps on the amount of coverage, and no claims are filed as you pay the amount requested by the dentist. Also, there are no waiting periods before coverage is available. This allows you to get care when needed, without waiting.

Costs vary according to the plan chosen. The lowest costs are the savings plan, which has very low fees. These fees vary. Those associated with the Affordable Care Act are fairly inexpensive, but not the lowest. Actual private fees range from very low to relatively high, based on coverage provided and amount of co-pays. Regardless of the cost, all will be less expensive than paying full price for services.

There are several things to consider when shopping for plans. One is currently the condition of your teeth. If you have a lot of potential visits to the dentist, you should consider getting coverage of some sort. Another thing to consider is the cost for each plan, as well as the services provided. Though there is no guarantee as to what you will need in the future, you can anticipate and make sure those services are provided by the plan you choose.

There are a lot of expenses associated with aging. Though finances may not be a major problem at present, just know that any expenses that can be anticipated and provided for will avoid financial stress in the future. Also, lack of finances also sometimes prevent a person getting adequate care.




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