Dental Plans – What Are the Three Types of Dental Plans?
When choosing a dental plan, it’s important to understand what each type offers. There are several differences between DHMOs, PPOs, and DPPOs. DHMOs have predictable costs and low co-payments. Premiums are also typically the lowest of the insured dental benefit products. Dental HMOs also tend to have the lowest deductibles: most are under $25. By contrast, only 28% of Dental Preferred Provider Organizations have deductibles below $25.
DHMO
Dental plans are divided into two basic types: DPPO plans and DHMOs. Both types of plans provide coverage for routine checkups, but they have differences, including the choice of dentist and the amount of copayments. DPPO plans give the plan holder a variety of dentists, while DHMOs are limited to a select list of dentists. The dentist must be on the plan’s list, and the DHMO must approve the dentist’s appointment before it can be scheduled.
Dental DHMO plans typically do not have annual limits or deductibles. They share the costs of major dental procedures among the consumer and plan, with the exception of those performed outside of the plan’s network. Before signing up for a plan, consumers should check the policy carefully to determine whether the plan will cover specific treatments.
DHMO dental plans are popular because they can offer significant savings for dental care. These plans can meet the needs of most patients.
PPO
If you have dental insurance, you will need to decide which of the PPO or DHMO dental plans is best for you. Typically, DHMO plans offer lower monthly premiums, while PPO plans generally offer more dentists. You can also choose a lower-tier PPO plan if you prefer the freedom to choose your dentist.
A PPO is a type of dental insurance that falls somewhere between an indemnity plan and a dental HMO. It allows a defined group of patients to get dental care from participating dentists. These participating dentists have agreed to charge a lower fee than usual to PPO members. However, patients who choose to see a dentist who is out of the network may have to pay a higher share of the fee.
Whether you choose a PPO or HMO plan depends on your budget and needs. The former is more flexible and offers a wide variety of benefits, while the latter offers greater savings. Both dental plans are designed to promote preventive oral health and minimize dental expenses. However, the HMO plan limits your choices of dentists, while PPO plans offer more freedom.
DPPO
Dental PPOs are plans that offer discounts on overall fees to the enrollee. The discounts are only valid when the enrollee uses a dentist contracted with the plan. If the enrollee goes outside of the network, the coverage will be reduced. In addition, the insurance company reimburses the dentist on a fee-for-service basis after the dental procedure is completed. Unlike DHMO plans, which require copayments, DPPO plans allow you to use any dentist you choose.
DPPO plans can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars a year. Families can pay as much as two to three times more than an individual plan. DHMO plans are cheaper because they work within a dental provider network, but they may limit you to a small number of dentists. Moreover, DHMO plans don’t cover services at dental practices outside of the plan’s network. Alternatively, fee-for-service plans pay a flat rate for covered services.
In addition to low-cost dental plans, some discount plans require a waiting period before they cover a certain procedure. For this reason, it is important to check which procedures have a longer waiting period to see if the plan will be affordable. Some dental plans also require patients to use only dentists in the network, which can be restrictive. Therefore, you may need to travel a long way to find a dentist that accepts your plan. In exchange, you will pay lower premiums and a simpler fee structure.
Indemnity
Indemnity dental plans are the traditional kind of dental insurance that pays a portion of a dentist’s fees. They are administered by health maintenance organizations that collect premiums from members and provide a defined set of dental services. The health maintenance organizations pay the dentists according to the number of patients they treat.
These plans often have higher premiums and deductibles. Because they fall under the category of managed care plans, they often use tactics to keep costs down, such as imposing cost-sharing and limiting admissions and stays. Indenmity plans also tend to have a negotiated network of dentists. These providers will be compensated only if they accept the insurance company’s network.
An indemnity dental insurance plan has several benefits, but it’s important to know what each one offers. For example, indemnity dental insurance plans may have waiting periods. The length of the waiting period depends on the insurance company and plan.