Time is Running Out!
We know it’s hard to believe it is Autumn in North Carolina – the leaves on our trees have barely begun to change color – but we need to talk about the End of the Year! Believe it or not 2018 is almost at its end, and for many of us, so are this year’s dental benefits. If your dental insurance plan operates on a calendar year, here are a few reasons why it might be a good idea to schedule your next dental appointment before the year is up.
- Your annual maximum starts over again: The annual maximum on your dental insurance plan refers to the maximum amount of money your insurance will pay for dental treatment per year. This includes your regular preventative care, and even major treatment covered by your plan, such as crowns or root canals. Unfortunately, once your benefit year comes to an end, any unused funds remaining on your annual maximum do NOT rollover into the next year! If Blue Ridge Family Dental helped you develop a treatment plan for this year, take advantage of your maximum while you can. Waiting until the new year could be a risk incase future treatment needs arise. With most dental maximums ranging from $500-$2000 per year, next year’s maximum might not cover all of your treatment needs if you let them build up!
- Your insurance fees can change in the New Year: The Medical and Dental insurance industry has gone through a lot of changes over the last decade. We’ve seen our premiums increase and coverage agreements change, and it can be difficult to predict if or how our insurance plans will change at the start of a new benefit year. You’ve been paying for a year dental coverage – why not utilize it as best as you can before fees increase or your coverage changes?
- Dental problems can worsen: Putting off your dental treatment can often lead to more extensive (and expensive!) treatment further down the road. For example, a simple cavity could evolve overtime into a more serious problem, such as a root canal! And now that we know your annual maximum typically does not roll over into the next benefit year, delaying treatment could end up costing you more out of pocket in the long run.
If you are wondering how much of your annual maximum is remaining, or if you would like an estimate for any dental treatment you’ve put on the backburner (we get it – 2018 has been a busy year for us, too!), our Patient Care Coordinators are always on hand to help. We would love to offer a Complimentary Benefits Check, or an updated Treatment Plan to help you coordinate your dental treatment before the end of the year sneaks up on us all! Contact our front desk when it suits you best at (919) 267-4974, or drop us a line at info@blueridgeapex.com, and use those dental benefits before you lose them!