Cigna Dental Plans For Seniors

What Is A Dental Health Maintenance Organization Plan

DHMO plans tend to be some of the more affordable dental plans. There is typically no deductible and only a set fee for non-preventive dental services. Most preventive dental care, such as cleanings, exams, and routine X-rays is usually covered at 100%.

Costs are usually lower because you are required to choose a primary care dentist from the network. These plans typically do not provide coverage if you choose to see dentists outside the network . Networks may be smaller and more local. Dentists in a network agree to offer lower costs. These cost savings are passed on to patients as part of plan coverage.

DHMO plans usually do not have an annual maximum for covered services. This means that no matter how many covered dental services you need within a year, you will not have to worry about “running out” of benefits for the year.

If you need to see a specialist, your primary care dentist will refer you to a provider within the network.

What Dental And Vision Plans For Medicare Recipients Are Available

Medicare Parts A and B, or Original Medicare, are only designed to cover specific medical services.

• Part A includes things like inpatient hospital insurance and skilled nursing facility coverage.
• Part B includes outpatient hospital insurance and doctor visits.

If you are using Medicare for your health insurance, you will have to look outside of Original Medicare for dental or vision benefits.

Financial Assistance For Dental Insurance For Seniors On A Budget

Dental insurance may seem too expensive, but its more important than you may realize. Oral health can have a major impact on the rest of the body, and financial assistance to access dental care can be helpful in maintaining overall health.

Unfortunately, Medicare typically does not cover dental care, and less than half of states Medicaid programs offer any dental insurance coverage for older adults. But for those struggling to afford the costs of dental care, there are some alternatives to traditional dental insurance. Government programs, charitable organizations, and even credit card companies offer a way to cover some or all of the cost of dental procedures.

Below are a few dental resources for seniors on a budget.

Also Check: 5g Flip Phones For Seniors

Tips To Find The Best Health Insurance For Senior Citizens

Finding a suitable health insurance plan for elders can be a tough choice. Here are some tips to ease up the task:

• Shop around online to find the most suitable senior citizen plan
• Check out the reputation of insurance service providers via their social media handles
• Stick with plans that offer more coverage with less premium
• Opt for health insurance plans that come with lifetime renewability
• Incline towards health insurance providers who have an extensive network of hospitals and offer cashless facilities

How Much Is Senior Dental Insurance

Stand-alone dental insurance plans can range anywhere from $30 per month to over $100 monthly for individual plans, and family programs average triple those estimates depending on coverage levels. Deductibles typically average between $50 and $150 per year, but some plans offer a one-time deductible for premium policies. The most affordable option for people seeking temporary or low-cost care is to invest between $75 and $150 in a dental insurance discount program that offers enrollees substantial discounts on all services within days of signing up. Costs vary for different types of coverage by state, age, the number of enrollees, and your selected plan.

Read Also: Government Benefits For Seniors Over 60

What Does Dental And Vision Insurance For Seniors Cover

Dental and vision insurance for seniors often covers basic preventive care and significant services. Each plan and carrier offer different benefits. However, the most common benefits include:

• Routine dental cleaning and deep-root cleaning

Not all plans cover hearing benefits. However, many available plans cover this additional perk.

Find Medicare Plans in 3 Easy Steps

We can help find the right Medicare plans for you today

Aetna Dental And Vision Insurance For Seniors

Aetna dental and vision plans are available in 36 states nationwide. Dental coverage comes with a $100 deductible and a $1,000 or $1,500 benefit. There is no waiting period for biannual cleanings, semi-annual exams, x-rays , or fillings and extractions . You will have 60% coverage in year one, 70% in year two, and 80% in year three.

There is a 12-month waiting period for major services with 60% coverage in year two. Coverage for major services includes root canals, periodontal surgery, bridges and crowns, and complete or partial dentures.

Aetna vision benefits come with 60% coverage for year one, 70% coverage for year two, and 80% for year three, with a $200 maximum for the first two years. This includes coverage for eye exams, eyeglasses, and contact lenses.

Besides vision and dental, Aetna hearing coverage comes with a $100 deductible and a maximum of $500 during any calendar year. Your benefits do not kick in until the second year. In year two, you will have 70% coverage. By year three, you will have 80% coverage.

Recommended Reading: Top Dating Sites For Seniors

Cigna Dental Coverage And Costs

Its imperative to pick the proper plan for your needs, and Cigna provides some of the best affordable dental insurance. While the company doesnt offer plans specific to older adults, the variety of options available to any policyholder makes it an insurance company seniors should take a look at.

The companys three plans are Preferred Provider Organizations, also known as PPO plans. A PPO allows policyholders to choose a dentist from a large network of providers and is a popular plan option many insurance companies offer, including Aetna and Kaiser.

Cigna has more than 90,000 dentists in over 286,000 locations in its national network, meaning there are most likely provider options for older adults living anywhere in the United States. That being said, it is important to note PPO plans tend to have slightly higher premiums, but you get what you pay for as they provide the most flexible service options.

Each plan offers different benefits when it comes to preventative care, basic restorative care, major restorative care, and orthodontia care. Before I started looking into insurance benefits, I didnt know which services fell into the different categories. Below is a breakdown of whats included in preventative, restorative, and orthodontia services.

You Should Know: Cigna offers Bright Score, a tool that allows you to compare dental providers and rates dentists on their patient experience and affordability.

Preventative Care

Is An Aarp Dental Insurance Plan Worth It

Delta Dental offers three plan options designed for AARP members. Two are PPO plans, and the other, DeltaCare USA, is similar to a typical DHMO plan.

AARP DeltaCare USA Plan

You pay much less for a DeltaCare USA plan , and there is no waiting period, annual deductible or annual spending limit. Its a copay plan, which means you pay a flat fee to the dentist with a coinsurance plan, youd pay a percentage of the cost of treatment.

DeltaCare USA has distinct advantages like DHMO plans but is also less flexible than a PPO plan.

For example, you have to choose a dentist from the DeltaCare USA Contract Dentists network, or one will be assigned to you. To change your dentist, you must call customer service, and the switch would be valid the following month. If you want to see a specialist, you will need to get a referral from your primary dentist and then approval from Delta Dental.

Dental emergency? If its after business hours and your dentist and Delta Dental customer care are unavailable, youre only covered for $100 for treatment specifically to address dental pain. Otherwise, youll need to wait until you can reach someone at Delta Dental to get approval to see another dentist.

AARP PPO Plans

PPO plans are widely accepted at dental practices nationwide. Plan members will save more when they see in-network dentists but can choose to go out-of-network. There is no referral required to see a specialist.

How Much Does an AARP® Dental Insurance Plan Cost?

You May Like: Senior Bus Trips To Atlantic City

How Should You Compare Dental Insurance Plans For Seniors

When comparing dental insurance plans, there are a few important factors that you should consider. These include:

• Cost: Look for plans with low premiums and deductibles.
• Coverage limits: If you know youre likely to need major dental work in the future, you should choose a plan with a high maximum coverage limit.
• Availability: Look for a provider that has availability in your area and a large network.
• Waiting periods: The best dental plans have short waiting periods that allow you to get the coverage you need when you need it.

Also Check: Best Cell Phone Plans For Senior

How Do I Purchase Cigna Dental Insurance

Purchasing dental insurance through Cigna is a process. Once you decide on the plan best for you, you have to request a quote online. In order to get a quote, you must fill out the information about all parties you wish to have insured with the policy. Once you get the quote, you have the option to buy the said plan.

Getting a dental savings plan is a little simpler, and you can purchase it online. All you have to do is pick the plan, add it to your cart online, and youre good to go. Cigna also offers 24/7 customer support, which is a huge bonus for older adults who need assistance when it comes to purchasing a plan online.

You May Like: Houses For Sale For Seniors

How Can I Find Affordable Dental Care For Seniors

The out-of-pocket costs for major dental procedures can be significant. There may be affordable dental care for older adults, depending on your situation. Try these tips:

• Compare when you shop:If you need an expensive dental procedure, shop around. Costs may vary significantly between dentists in your area.
• Consider buying a standalone dental plan:Standalone dental plans offer many options for coverage, possibly even to cover major dental care. Monthly premiums are often affordable.
• Ask your dentist about a payment plan:Many providers may be able to offer you a payment plan, so you spread out the cost of a dental procedure over monthly payments.
• Contact a local dental school:If you have a dental school in your area, it may offer some low or no-cost care to the community. Dental students have a chance to get experience, and you may have a chance to get some affordable dental care.
• Contact your state health department:They may have information on where to find low-cost dental care in your area.

On This Page Skip This Page Navigation

Dental care providers are continuing to monitor COVID19 in their communities and carefully and gradually restarting services under the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program . In person dental visits may still be limited during this time for the safety of dental care providers and patients.

You can continue to apply for the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program during this period.

If you are enrolled in the Ontario Seniors Dental Care program , please contact your local public health unit by phone for assistance with your dental needs and more information on the gradual restart of services in your area.

Read the latest information on COVID19.

You May Like: Tallgrass Creek Senior Living Community

Do Dental And Vision Plans For Seniors Require Waiting Periods

All carriers are different regarding waiting periods for dental and vision plans. Commonly, carriers do not have waiting periods for preventive and basic services. However, you may need to satisfy a waiting period before receiving coverage for dentures, glasses, hearing aids, and other major services.

Find Medicare Plans in 3 Easy Steps

We can help find the right Medicare plans for you today

Waiting periods typically last between six and twelve months, depending on the service and the carrier.

How To Get Dental Implants Covered By Insurance

Dental implants are eligible for coverage if tooth loss results from injury, trauma, or a medical condition. Congenitally missing teeth are not covered. Additionally, coverage only applies to the root replacement . The actual missing tooth may be excluded.

Dental discount plans could help save on implants by reimbursing a portion of the payment. You can combine discount plans with your insurance coverage as long as your doctor accepts them.

Don’t Miss: Tai Chi Exercises For Seniors

How Does Dental Insurance Work

A dental insurance policy covers expenses for checkups, routine cleanings and other dental restorative work such as fillings, implants and crowns. Many providers such as Humana, Cigna and UnitedHealthOne also offer dental, hearing and vision bundles.

Providers are regulated at the state level, meaning plan availability, benefits and rates may vary per state.

What does dental insurance cover?

Insurance carriers divide dental coverage benefits into three categories: preventive care, basic or routine care and major procedures.

• Preventive care includes checkups , sealants and X-rays. Most providers offer 100% coverage with no waiting periods and deductibles for these procedures.

• Basic or routine care refers to fillings, non-routine X-rays, denture repairs and simple extractions. Coverage is generally capped at 80% and beneficiaries must meet the policys deductible rate.

• Major procedures include root canals, gum disease, surgical extractions, dentures and implants. Coverage rarely exceeds 50% after meeting the policys deductible.

Although its technically major work, orthopedic treatment is considered a separate category for insurers. Its easier to find coverage for child orthodontia than for adults, but coverage is capped at 50% regardless of the patient’s age.

Companies also enforce a lifetime benefit limit, meaning they will only pay for braces or aligners once for the duration of the policy.

Dental coverage exclusions

Waiting periods

Types Of Dental Insurance Plans

The three types of dental plans on the market today are dental preferred provider organization plans, dental health maintenance organization plans and fee-for-service plans:

Dental preferred provider organization

DPPO plans have a wider network of dentists, and patients have more flexibility when choosing their doctors. You can see providers both in-network and out of network, but youll find the best rates within the dental provider network.

This flexibility comes with a higher price tag premiums for DPPO plans are more expensive and have higher out-of-pocket costs.

Dental health maintenance organization

A DHMO plan works within a dental provider network. Theres a fixed copayment for each visit, premiums are more affordable and there are no annual maximum limits.

Members of a DHMO plan have a smaller provider network to choose from, and theyll also need to select a primary care dentist from the plans network. Lastly, theres no out-of-network coverage, and seeing a specialist requires a referral.

Fee-for-service plans

Fee-for-service plans pay a flat rate for eligible services. This plan type allows greater flexibility because patients can visit the provider of their choice.

On the downside, out-of-pocket expenses are higher. Patients can either make a copayment at the dentists office or pay upfront and then file a claim for reimbursement with their insurance provider.

Dental discount plans

You May Like: Discount Car Insurance For Seniors

Does Cigna Cover Dental Implants

Cigna dental insurance may help cover implants, depending on your plan.

For example, the Cigna Dental PPO plan covers major services such as surgical implants with no deductible and an annual maximum spending limit of $1,000 in 2022. The plan also covers dentures or other prostheses that are used along with the implants.

Not every Cigna Medicare plan covers dental implants or other restorative services, so be sure to talk with a licensed insurance agent about plan benefits before enrolling.

Some Cigna plans may not cover dental implants but provide a spending allowance that may be used to pay for qualified health care services, which may include dental implants.

What Types Of Dental Plans Cover Crowns Bridges And Dentures

When you’re shopping for a dental plan, look for those with coverage for major restorative care. This kind of dental care usually covers crowns, bridges, and dentures. Check the plan annual maximum. This is the most your plan will pay for covered services in a plan year. If you reach that limit, you will be responsible for paying any and all additional costs for your dental care. If you expect to need more restorative care, a dental plan that has a higher annual maximum and more coverage for restorative care may be right for you.

Also Check: Is Dental Insurance Worth It For Seniors

Best Dental Insurance Plans

Andrea Agostini FerrerClaudia Rodríguez Hamilton31 min read

Available in Puerto Rico and other U.S territories

$50 annually per individual $150 annually per family

Ranks 1st in J.D Powers 2022 U.S Dental Plan Satisfaction Report

$50-$150 annually or $150-$450 one-time

Most affordable preventive care plan

Up to $2K

A stand-alone dental plan may be the best way to keep up with your oral health if your insurance doesnt cover dental treatment. Without insurance, the cost of routine dental care generally runs from $40 to $97, while more complex procedures like a root canal may cost over $1,000 per tooth.

Depending on the type coverage and your dental care needs, an individual policy can prove to be very expensive especially when you factor in deductibles, copays and premiums. However, dental insurance can lower the cost of expensive restorative or emergency work such as crowns, fillings and implants.

The best providers offer a high reimbursement limit, comprehensive coverage and shorter or no waiting periods for basic care.

An Overview Of Our Ranking Methodology

In ranking the top dental insurance companies, its important to use consistent standards when making comparisons. Below you can see the core metrics that we used to evaluate each company.

• Company Reputation and Reliability : Does this company have a stable financial history? Has it been profitable and well-rated by consumers and experts alike?
• Plan Variety : Does this company offer insurance plans structured as HMOs, PPOs, and Indemnity plans? How many plans does the company offer overall? Are loyalty plans and insurance bundling available?
• PPO Coverage Limitations : What are the highest yearly maximum benefit amounts available for this companys regular and loyalty PPO plans? What kind of waiting periods and waiting period waivers do plans have?
• PPO Costs : How expensive are this companys lowest-cost PPO plans? What is the highest percentage of a patients dental costs that PPO plans from this company will cover?
• Dental Insurance Alternatives : Does the company offer dental discount plans for those who want an alternative to traditional dental insurance? What are the terms of the dental discount plans that are offered?

Read Also: What Is Senior Discount Age