If your dental insurance plan is based on the calendar year, then you have until New Year’s to use your insurance benefits before they’re reset. How can you best utilize these dental dollars? If you’re planning on beginning ClearCorrect treatment this year, then it may seem like a good opportunity to utilize your coverage. But the question remains: can you use orthodontic treatment coverage to help pay for ClearCorrect in the first place? You should make sure that you have a satisfactory answer to this question before making any major decisions, and your dentist can help you get it.
Dental Insurance and Orthodontic Care
While many dental plans do indeed include orthodontic care, it’s not necessarily set in stone. For example, some states require all licensed dental insurance providers to include coverage for children’s braces while others do not. Furthermore, a dental plan that includes orthodontic treatment may be limited to patients under the age of 18, thus excluding treatment for adults. And even in cases where adult coverage is provided, you may not be eligible for it if you’re having orthodontic treatment done for cosmetic reasons only. It’s a good idea to call your insurance carrier if you’re not sure what orthodontic coverage is available.
Dental Insurance and ClearCorrect
ClearCorrect and other clear aligners may be treated differently than traditional orthodontic options under your dental insurance carrier. While some plans will not specifically cover them, they might still be willing to contribute a fixed amount of money to your treatment. Other plans do indeed specifically offer coverage for clear aligners and will pay for a certain percentage. Again, you should get in touch with your insurance company to get the specifics.
What Does Orthodontic Coverage Usually Include?
If a dental plan includes orthodontic coverage, then it will usually help pay for the following parts of the treatment:
- The initial examination
- The treatment itself, which includes any required orthodontic appliances and any appointments that have to be made
- Retainers worn after the main treatment
- Any pre- and post-orthodontic treatment
Of course, when calculating the coverage you’ll receive, you’ll have to consider the deductible, which the amount you have to pay before your insurance company starts covering any of the expenses. Also, there will usually be a co-pay that will come out of your own pocket, though whether it’s a flat dollar amount or a specific percentage of the cost depends on your plan.
Remember that your orthodontist and the rest of their team will be there to help you navigate your insurance benefits if you have a hard time understanding them or need help maximizing your coverage. When you schedule your ClearCorrect consultation, make sure you write down any insurance questions you might have so that you can ask when you get the chance.
About the Author
Dr. Donald Marks has called Pennsylvania home his entire life and is currently providing State College families with a friendly, comfortable dental environment. He can offer ClearCorrect to make certain cosmetic corrections and orthodontic improvements, and he’s happy to accept many different insurance plans to help pay for orthodontic care. To schedule a consultation at his practice, Donald Marks Family Dentistry, visit his website or call (814) 234-0329.
