If you have an independent health insurance plan, you should not assume that your plan includes coverage for your dental care needs. Under the Affordable Care Act, market plans are not required to provide coverage for routine or emergency dental care. This can leave you with thousands of dollars in dental bills if you have a dental emergency or need major surgery. Fortunately, a number of New York dental insurance providers offer individual and family plan options.
Quick Overview: New York Dental Insurance
New York’s Best Dental Insurance
There are several insurance providers offering comprehensive dental insurance plans in New York for individuals and families. The best insurance provider will vary depending on the type of coverages you are looking for and your budget. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular insurance providers you’ll see when looking for coverage in New York.
humane
Humana is an independent dental insurance provider offering coverage throughout New York State. Humana offers preventative coverage starting at just $19 per month for individuals, and you can choose to see in-network and out-of-network dentists (though you’ll save money by staying in your network). Humana’s top tier plans even include $100 coverage for teeth whitening services, which is excluded from the vast majority of dental insurance plans.
In New York, Humana offers both dental insurance plans, preventative plans, and dental insurance plans that do not act like insurance but can lower the price you pay for your oral health needs. . Humana even offers special plans for veterans in need of affordable care. Most plans also come with waiting periods as short as 7 days, so you can start using your coverage quickly after signing up.
Guardian
Guardian offers 2 primary dental insurance plan options in New York: Guardian Advantage Gold and Guardian Managed DentalGuard. With the Managed DentalGuard plan, you could pay as little as $15 per month for coverage, and the plan has no maximum benefit or deductible. However, you must see a dentist approved by the Guardian Network and you must pay a flat fee calculated before your treatment appointment.
At $45 per month, the Guardian Advantage Gold plan is more expensive than the Managed DentalGuard plan. However, it gives you access to a richer network of dentists to choose from and additional benefits over the company’s more affordable plan. For example, major treatments (like dentures and implants) are covered under this plan, while they are not under the Managed DentalGuard plan. If you have a family history of oral health issues, it might be worth the extra monthly outlay to protect yourself with this plan.
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Best for
Young adults and families with children and teenagers
Blue EmpireBlue CrossShield
Like Guardian, Empire BlueCross BlueSheild offers a wide range of plan choices that you can use to balance your monthly budget with dental benefits. The company’s most comprehensive plan choice is the BlueCross BlueShield Essential Choice Gold, which offers 100% coverage for in-network preventive exams and treatments and up to 80% coverage for scheduled dental treatments and emergency.
The Essential Choice Gold plan starts at $40 per month, but Empire BlueCross BlueSheild also offers a range of 4 lower level dental insurance plans that can more easily fit your budget. Empire BlueCross BlueSheild plans also offer Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) coverage, which means you can choose to see an out-of-network dentist and continue to use your benefits if you wish (although you’ll save more money by staying in the network) .
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Best for
National coverage
Ameritas
Although Ameritas offers slightly more expensive dental insurance than the New York State average, this insurance provider can be a great option if you’re looking for extensive orthodontic coverage. Unlike most dental insurance providers, Ameritas extends benefits to $1,000 of orthodontic coverage on most plans. Keep in mind that unlike most other minimums you’ll find on dental insurance options, this $1,000 maximum applies to the duration of the plan and is only valid for insureds under 19 years old.
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Best for
Orthodontic services for adults and children
Why do you need dental insurance?
Many men and women do not fully understand how much money they will have to pay for major dental work and treatment without insurance. If you have health insurance, you can assume that these care costs will be covered at least partially by the company that issues your health insurance. However, the truth is that your health insurance plan usually doesn’t extend coverage for these types of services, which can leave you with unexpected bills.
Dental insurance is an independent policy that helps you pay part of your dental care costs. Most dental insurance plans give you full coverage for routine care (like cleanings) and partial coverage for major treatments (like wisdom tooth extractions or fillings). The right dental insurance plan can help pay for any future dental care costs you may encounter and help your children receive regular, routine care that sets their smiles up for success.
Try New York State Health
You can start your search for dental insurance by consulting the New York State Health Dental Plan Comparison Tool. You can define your search to include only the packages that best suit you based on your family size, location, and budget. Scroll through the plan options to learn more about the premiums, deductibles, maximum expenses and more included in each plan. You’ll likely be presented with a wide range of coverage providers, so be sure to leave yourself plenty of time to research all of your options.
Discover New York’s Best Dental Insurance
Finding the right insurance provider for your family can seem like an overwhelming process, but it doesn’t have to be. The insurance plans and providers you have access to will vary depending on where you live in New York. Consider starting your search for coverage with some of Benzinga’s top New York dental insurance providers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q
What does dental insurance usually include?
A
Dental insurance plans typically include coverage for routine dental needs (like cleanings and x-rays) and special care needs and treatments (like root canals or cavity fillings).
Q
What does dental insurance generally exclude?
A
Most dental insurance plans exclude coverage for cosmetic dental procedures (like teeth whitening) and pre-existing conditions.