As the end of the year quickly approaches, you might be curious about how you can use your remaining dental insurance benefits before they expire at the end of December. The best steps to take really depend on the details of your plan. One thing that you may need to consider is whether you are visiting an in-network or out-of-network dentist. This blog post explains the difference.
Network Status: What Does It Mean?
If a dental practice is in-network with your insurance, it means they have a contract between them. The contract may lay out some stipulations about standards of care and pricing. Generally, patients pay less at in-network practices.
If a practice is outside of your network, it simply means they do not have a contract with your insurance company. However, that does not mean you cannot visit them. Very often, out-of-network practices will be happy to file claims for patients. In some cases, the difference between in-network and out-of-network fees for patients is minimal. The most important thing is to visit a dentist whom you truly trust!
Important note: You can use PPO dental insurance at virtually any dental practice, regardless of network status. However, if you have a DHMO plan or another type of plan, you might not receive any coverage at out-of-network practices.
Using Your Insurance at In-Network and Out-of-Network Practices
If you are visiting an in-network practice, it should be easy to use your benefits. Just make sure that the dental team has your insurance information, and they will take care of filing all your claims. At the time you receive treatment, you may only pay for the portion of your care that insurance will not cover.
Some out-of-network practices are fee-for-service. Basically, that means you may be expected to pay for the entirety of your treatment upfront. Although the practice will file claims for you, you might have to wait to get reimbursed by your insurance company.
If you are unsure of how any particular dental practice approaches insurance/payments, just call and ask. It is best to know what to expect before you book an appointment!
Network status might affect how you use your dental insurance! Learn how your policy works so you can make well-informed decisions about your care.
Meet the Practice
At Radiance Dentistry Dental Implant Center, we are proud to be in-network with BlueCross Blue Shield health insurance. We are also happy to file out-of-network claims for medical and dental PPO policies. If you are curious about how we may be able to help you afford our world-class services, get in touch with our Irving, TX, office at 972-866-7976.