Dental Insurance Plans in Minnesota

Seven Key Questions to Ask Your Broker About Your Dental Carrier and Coverage Plan

1. How many network dentists have been selected and retained?

2. Does the carrier monitor treatment patterns to identify dentists who are not within generally accepted treatment norms? How often is this monitoring done? What actions are taken when expectations surface?

3. What relationship-building processes does the carrier have in place to promote better network stability?

4.Does the carrier make use of research that supports reasons for coverage of certain dental procedures in their plan designs?

5.What kinds of claims review programs are in place? How is research integrated into this process?

6.Is the carrier promoting or sponsoring outcome based dental research?

7.Is the carrier solicitaing feedback from providers and patients, and how do they use this information to improve their programs?

One of the biggest dental insurance companies in Minnesota is Delta Dental. For more information on their dental insurance plans, click here.

Click here for more information on dental insurance in Minnesota

You do have alternatives to insurance with dental care. There are now discount dental programs, which are not in fact insurance, but rather a convenient way of getting your dental services at a discount.

Each dentist participating in a discount dental program has agreed to accept a discounted fixed fee schedule as payment in full. In some cases, you can save an average of 30% and up to 50% on everything from general dentistry and cleanings to root canals, crowns and orthodontia.

Given the high percentage of co-payments as well as high deductibles on many insurance policies, group discount plans may actually provide you with a more cost-effective alternative, especially if you do not require high priced care for your teeth. It can be worth looking into.

Plan Designs for Dental Insurance in Minnesota

Maintaining good oral health, as well as correcting dental problems, is essential to a healthy lifestyle. However, a growing number of Americans are finding themselves without effective dental coverage to treat and maintain their dental health needs. This is due in part to businesses increasingly cutting back on dental benefits for their employees.

Three key questions to ask in designing your dental plan:

1. Does it have an open or closed list of covered services?

2. Are plan frequency limitations based upon consecutive months or calendar/plan year? Are there any combined frequency limits?

3. Are endodontics and periodontal services combined or split into separate service categories?

Managed Care dental plans are cost containment systems that direct the utilization of health care by: a) restricting the type, level and frequency of treatment; b) limiting the access to care; and c) controlling the level of reimbursement for services.

In other words, you don’t get to choose the type of treatment and so you can’t necessarily choose to see your dentist whenever you think you need to. These plans also commonly restrict your choice of dentist.

MINNESOTA DENTAL INSURANCE - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Dental insurance is a specialized type of health insurance that deals solely with procedures and treatments performed by a Dentist or a Dental professional - not medical or doctor procedures generally. There can be some overlap if you need dental surgery, but usually with dental insurance you will be dealing with dentists.

Dental insurance, while similar to health insurance, has one unique feature. Most dental insurance plans will impose a 6 month to 18-month waiting period before coverage commences. This waiting period ensures that your new insurer is not paying for old problems. However, that’s a disadvantage to you. As a result, it's best to get your dental insurance before you have a problem and preferably, while your teeth are still in their best shape. If you suddenly need a root canal before your waiting period is up, it will be money that will come out of your pocket.

Dental insurance is very similar to medical insurance. Just as with medical insurance in most cases you will be looking at one of two types of insurance: fee-for-service insurance or managed care insurance.

MINNESOTA DENTAL INSURANCE PROVIDERS

Spirit Dental
	Group Size: Individual, Senior and 2 - 149	Forms
	States Available: All but CT, FL, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, RI, VT
	Highlights:
	Choice of any dentist - 90th percentile of UCR. Two year rate guarantees for groups down to two No waiting periods even for major and ortho Voluntary down to two with NO participation Orthodontia down to one $1500 max and Takeover credit available Fully insured by Security Life

Companion Life
	Group Size: 2+	Forms
	States Available: see below
	Highlights:
	Voluntary down to 3 or 20% participation 25% Employer-Paid plans for Groups 2-9 and 10+ Choice of any dentist Waiting period takeover credit Not in AZ, CA, CO, CT, HI, LA, MI, NJ, NM, NY, TN, SC, UT

Principal Life
	Group Size: 5+ enrolled employees (3+ for multiple Principal Life coverages sold	Forms
	States Available: All
	Highlights:
	Full Benefit Range and Provisional Level Flexibility Employer paid or Voluntary Voluntary participation of 5 employees or 25% participation Dual Choice available for 10 enrolled employees Standard Annual Open Enrollment Over 75,000 network provider locations No waiting period for timely enrollment Includes a Vision Discount program through VSP Access 2-Year Rate Guarantee for 10 enrolled employees

Kansas City Life
	Group Size: 10+ employees	Forms
	States Available: All
	Highlights:
	Choice of any dentist Flexible Employer Paid and Voluntary Plans Prior Coverage Credit Available Claims paid at the 90th UCR Quick claim turn around

Ameritas
	Group Size: Individual and 2+	Forms
	States Available: All
	Highlights:
	Adult and child orthodontia options Freedom to Choose Any Dentist - 90th percentile of UCR. 60,000+ providers for blind PPO network savings Fully insured by A rated carrier Employer-partial paid or voluntary Nationally known administration from HealthPlan Services Annual Maximum Carry-Over with Dental Rewards

Fee-for-Service dental plans are typically freedom-of-choice arrangements under which a dentist is paid for each service rendered according to the fees established by the dentist. What does this mean? It means you pick your dentist and the payment to the dentist is based on the dentist’s fee schedule, rather than a set fee schedule. In many cases, this will involve Direct Reimbursement (DR) to the dentist’s office, so you are not paying on your way out. For employers who opt for this kind of plan for their employees, instead of paying monthly insurance premiums, you only pay a percentage of actual treatments received. Moreover, employers are removed from the potential responsibility of influencing treatment decisions due to plan selection or sponsorship.

Click here for more information on dental insurance options in Minnesota