Introduction to Dental/Vision Insurance Plans
- iCare Team
- Jan 29, 2023
- 4 min read
Ophthalmology/Dental Insurance Overview
Hi, everyone! Starting with this tweet, we will introduce you to dental or vision insurance in the US one by one. Both dental and vision are not included in our Student Insurance Program (SHIP) and must be purchased separately. In this article, we will cover basic information about dental and vision insurance, and starting next week, we will cover specific insurance options from different
insurance companies and how to best choose and utilize them. Note that this is a service /volunteer website and is not affiliated in any way with insurance companies. We will not be limited to any one insurance company, as we are only introducing the different options so that you can get a good understanding of the best insurance options for you.
Dental Insurance
In the United States, dental care is usually not covered by basic health insurance plans and most Americans get their treatment by purchasing additional dental insurance or paying for it out of pocket. Basic dental insurance also usually covers not only routine treatments (such as dental cleanings, extractions, fillings, etc.) but also orthodontic/cosmetic types of dental treatments such as cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, orthodontics, etc.
Out-of-pocket dental care covered by general dental insurance：
General Dental Cleaning: Usually performed once a year and includes plaque removal, scaling and checking the health of your teeth and gums.
Fillings: Your dentist may recommend fillings when a tooth is damaged or decayed. Common types of fillings include metal fillings and white fillings.
Extractions: When a tooth is painful or infected, it may need to be extracted for root canal treatment.
Restorative dentistry: When a tooth is damaged or missing, your dentist may recommend restorative dentistry. Common types of restorations include cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, and orthodontics.
Orthodontics: Orthodontic services, such as metal braces and invisible braces. This type of service varies primarily by option.
Periodontal surgery: Periodontal surgery may be recommended for treatment when the tissue around the teeth is damaged or infected.
How to buy insurance
There are three common ways to purchase dental insurance in the United States: from insurance companies, medical advisors, and online insurance websites.
Insurance companies - Advantages: Insurance services are more comprehensive and cater to different types or special needs. You can also compare different insurance options on the insurance company's website.
Medical advisors - Advantages: can help develop a personalized plan and can recommend the most appropriate and cost-effective insurance plan based on budget or need.
Online insurance marketplace - Advantages: You can compare and purchase different types of dental insurance plans online.
In addition to purchasing dental insurance on the Health Insurance Marketplace, dental services are also available through employer-provided Employer Medical Insurance (EMI) plans.
Options for Dental Insurance
Some of the recommended and more reliable dental insurance companies include:
Delta Dental: generally more cost-effective for family plans
UnitedHealthcare: more comprehensive coverage for a family plan
Aetna: Same company as SHIP (Student Insurance)
Ameritas: A program that offers discounts to regular customers, the longer you have been insured, the higher the maximum amount of coverage
Cigna: The medical centers in the U.S. domestic insurance are very comprehensive
Humana Dental Insurance: lower prices and frequent discounts
Online insurance sites include:
Healthcare.gov
eHealth
GoHealth
Policygenius
HealthSherpa
GetInsured
Specific cases
For school students, insurance packages and prices may vary depending on factors such as location, school, age, and income. Here are some examples of insurance packages and their prices.
Delta Dental: One of the most common dental insurance packages is DeltaCare USA, which includes root canals, cleanings, and general treatment. The annual cost is about $350.
UnitedHealthcare: One combination is UnitedHealthOne Dental PPO, which includes restorative dentistry and cleanings. The annual fee is approximately $200.
Aetna: Aetna Dental Access, which includes restorative dentistry, cleanings, and other services. The annual fee is approximately $150.
Note: In addition to annual coverage, many of the above insurance companies have monthly coverage (around $20/month). In theory, monthly subscriptions can be canceled at any time, but in the case of UnitedHealthcare, if you cancel within one year of the subscription, you cannot renew your UnitedHealthcare coverage for two years. Therefore, you can choose a monthly subscription plan according to your needs.
Vision Insurance Plans
Overview
Ophthalmology insurance is more similar to dental insurance and is simpler than dental insurance. Also, many insurance companies have specific insurance plans for dental + vision. In general, general eye insurance covers items such as prescription frame glasses, contact lenses, and eyeglass exams. Items for treatment of eye infections or inflammation are generally covered by general insurance (for Vanderbilt students, this is student insurance). Note that myopia surgery is not covered by general health insurance as well as general eye insurance. Students who need it will need to purchase insurance that specifically covers these surgical procedures.
Vanderbilt's Recommendations
Vanderbilt's recommendations for you are Cigna's dental insurance and VSP's vision insurance. We will explain exactly what the insurance covers later, but if any of you want to do your own research, here are the official descriptions of the two insurance policies
VSP Individual Optic Plan: https://myahpcare.com/wp-content/uploads/VSP-Coverage-Options-3.pdf
Summary
Thank you for reading! In the next article, we will be comparing plans from different insurance companies in the hope that it will help you in the difficult task of choosing insurance, so stay tuned.
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