Dental & Vision Insurance
56% of people without dental insurance skip preventive treatment altogether, with high costs serving as the number one reason for delaying or forgoing care.*
Most health insurance plans do not include coverage for dental and vision services, from regular teeth cleaning and vision checks to more expensive surgeries and procedures. Depending on your specific needs, dental plans can include preventive dental care, basic care, and major care, while vision plans can cover eyeglasses and contacts, laser vision correction, and other services not covered by health insurance.
Your teeth and vision are an important element of your overall health. Dental and vision insurance makes dental and vision care easy and and affordable. Pick and choose from various plans to meet your needs, whether you’re looking for single coverage or a policy for your entire family.
*“No Dental Insurance? Don’t Wait for Something to Go Wrong.” US News & World Report. May 2015.
Dental Insurance - What is it?
You can provide your employees with dental insurance through a health insurance plan that provides you with dental coverage, through a separate dental plan, or as a benefit choice within a cafeteria plan . Insurance companies, Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans, dental HMOs, preferred provider organizations (PPOs), individual practice associations, or employer self-insurance can all provide dental plans. Typically, dental insurance provides the following services:
- Diagnostic procedures
- Semi-annual checkups and periodic X-rays
- Procedures that restore teeth
- Oral and maxillofacial surgery (teeth extraction and oral surgery)
- Periodontics (treatment of bone and gum diseases)
- Prosthodontics (dentures, bridges, and crowns)
- Orthodontics (repositioning of teeth)
Is dental care covered under Medigap insurance?
It's doubtful. None of the standard Medigap plans available in most of the states offer dental care as a covered service. Federal law does permit the states to allow Medigap insurers to add new benefits to the standardized plans, so it's possible your Medigap policy might now cover dental care. To find out for sure, read your policy or ask your insurer.
Other options for dental care might still be available to you even if your Medigap policy doesn't cover it. Are you or your spouse still working? If so, you might be able to get group dental coverage through one of your employers. In addition, dental insurance is often offered to members of group associations or organizations, and some group health plans may include limited dental coverage (e.g., coverage for reconstructive dental work due to an accidental injury). Finally, consider purchasing private dental insurance, particularly if you know you'll be needing some costly dental work in the future. Unfortunately, though, private dental insurance can be difficult to find.
Vision Care Insurance - What is it?
You can provide vision care insurance to your employees for the medical treatment of eye conditions, or you can limit vision care insurance for eye problems that are the result of accident or injury. Some employers provide vision care to their employees by self-funding or self-administering a vision-care plan. However, there are a variety of organizations (including health maintenance organizations (HMOs), Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and insurance companies) that offer vision-care plans to employee groups. Vision benefits typically include the following:
- Yearly eye exams
- Glasses (with an annual limit)
- Contact lenses (with an annual limit)
- Glaucoma screening