Arizona Dental Insurance
Many individuals do not seem to realize the full retail cost of repairing or replacing one’s teeth, hence the need for Arizona dental insurance. The standard root canal and crown averages $2500 per tooth. As discussed in depth on the other Arizona dental insurance pages on this website, there are several reasons for the high cost of dental care in America. It is a job that requires talent, patients, and knowledge, more so today than at any other time in history. Years ago the town dentist was also the town barber. Little did they know back then just how dangerous extracting a tooth can be if not done properly. This is why today you will rarely find a family dentist willing to pull teeth, opting instead to refer you to an oral surgeon. The dentist’s liability insurer may also not cover a dentist for extractions. So, it is much safer today than years past to have complicated dental work done, but the patients out of pocket costs have gone through the roof. Your Arizona dental insurance covers you for a maximum benefit of $1000-$1500 a year, but the cost of seeing a dentist or an oral surgeon will be much, much more than this depending on the situation, leaving you with thousands of dollars in expenses.
Arizona Dental Insurance
Why is Arizona dental care, and for that matter Arizona dental insurance, so costly. Most people, unfortunately, only see a dentist when there is a problem with their teeth. When purchasing dental insurance, the insurer realizes that the new policyholder likely has pre-existing conditions and will soon be filing claims. To offset the cost of these claims the insurer must place waiting periods on certain procedures, negotiate low reimbursement rates with participating dentists, charge a substantial premium per individual or family, and cap the annual payout, usually $1000. The cost of providing care to the patient is also expensive, the dentist’s liability insurance, advertising, employees, rent, etc. come into play.
There are two types of Arizona dental insurance policies primarily, discount plans and true dental insurance policies. True Arizona dental insurance has a yearly maximum benefit of $1000 or $1500, and costs more than the discount plans. It really depends on what your needs are, and this is something you can discuss with your broker to get the right Arizona dental insurance plan for you. One of the main considerations when shopping for dental insurance is whether your existing dentist is part of the network contracted to provide services. If you are willing to change dentists, your chances of obtaining quality, inexpensive care goes up exponentially. Several plans do cover a portion of the cost of care even when using a dentist outside of the network.
If you have any questions regarding Arizona health insurance, Arizona Medicare supplement (Medigap) plans, or Arizona dental insurance, please call Mike Higgins at (602) 405-8769 or send an email: mike@higginscompanies.com