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Does Obamacare cover dental insurance? The short answer is yes. In fact, you get dental coverage through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Obamacare is just a slang term for it. You can use the Federal Medicare Marketplace at Healthcare.gov to search and compare dental plans available in your area and sign up for one if you want to. Typically, you will go to your own state’s Medicare Marketplace site to register.
Some of the general health insurance options available to you may include dental treatment. Alternatively, you can choose to add a stand-alone dental insurance plan (and pay a separate premium for it). In all cases, you must enroll in a health care plan to have access to a stand-alone dental plan.
Key points to remember
- Dental insurance is available through the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare.
- There are two categories of dental plans in the Medicare market: high and low.
- Dental coverage is an essential health benefit for children under 18, but not for adults.
Dental plan categories
There are two categories of Obamacare dental insurance plans: high and low.
- The high level of coverage has higher premiums but lower copayments and deductibles. You will pay more each month, but less when you use dental services.
- The low level of coverage has lower premiums but higher copayments and deductibles. You will pay less each month, but more when you use dental services.
When you compare dental plans in the market, you will find details about the costs, co-payments, deductibles, and services covered for each plan.
You cannot subscribe to a Marketplace dental plan unless you are also subscribing to a health plan.
Dental coverage for children vs. adults
Under the Affordable Care Act, dental insurance is treated differently for adults and children 18 and under. It is an essential benefit for the health of children. This means that if you have health coverage for someone 18 years of age or younger, dental coverage must be available for your child either as part of a health care plan or as a stand-alone plan. However, dental coverage is not considered an essential health benefit for adults, and insurers are not required to provide dental care as part of their health plans. Although it should be available to you, its purchase is optional.
The Affordable Care Act
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was enacted by President Barack Obama in 2010 with the goal of improving health outcomes, reducing costs, and ensuring that more Americans benefit from ‘medical insurance. The constitutionality of the law has been challenged in courts and Congress, with conservatives and unions among groups calling for its repeal. The law was upheld by the United States Supreme Court in June 2021.
However, some rules have changed. The annual registration period has decreased and efforts to promote and support the program have declined. If you want to use Healthcare.gov for coverage, make sure you know the dates for the next enrollment period.
Subscribe to dental insurance
If you want dental insurance, the health insurance market makes it easy for you to check options and compare prices. If you are purchasing a stand-alone dental plan, remember that you will be billed for coverage separately.
How To Get Dental Coverage Through The Affordable Care Act?
Dental care is available and buyers should visit the dental information page at Healthcare.gov. Most people are covered by their own state affiliate program.
Do I get dental insurance as a stand-alone plan? Separated from regular health care?
May be. Some of the general health insurance options available may include dental care. Alternatively, you can choose to add a stand-alone dental insurance plan (and pay a separate premium for it). In all cases, you must enroll in a health plan to have access to a stand-alone dental plan, for which you will be billed separately.
What are the two levels of Obamacare dental care?
They tried to make this one easy with a “high” level and a “low” level. The high option has higher premiums but lower co-payments and deductibles, which means you pay more each month but less when using dental services. And as you can guess, low coverage results in lower premiums, but higher copayments and deductibles. You will pay less each month, but more when you use dental services.
Final result
Despite many efforts to kill it, the ACA survives and dental treatment is included. Go to health care.govto find and compare dental plans available in your area and sign up for one if you like.
