The Halloween candy sugar rush is subsiding, the carved jack-o-lanterns and witches have melted away and images of plump turkeys, cranberry salad and Thanksgiving pageants beckon.
But wait! Another great American tradition gestures before we carve the turkey and plan our Black Friday guerilla shopping strategy. If you guessed voting in the dental plan mid-terms, you’re a great American!
This year we have four candidates vying for VIPP, or Very Important Part of a Plan. They are:
Preventive Care, Compare Plans Carefully, Network, and Two-for-One. All four of our candidates believe they have the right strategy for helping you save money on your dental plan and have agreed to this debate to explain why.
First let’s hear from Preventive Care as to why she believes she’s the best choice to consider when shopping for a dental plan.
Preventive Care “Thank you Dental Insurance Store, for hosting tonight’s debate. And thank you readers for your time today. As previously reported in this blog space, regular preventive dental visits and diagnostic procedures routinely covered in dental plans are important because they help prevent small oral health problems from becoming larger and more expensive ones.
“The great Benjamin Franklin said, ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’ Why is that? Did you know that the longer you go between dental exams, the more likely undiagnosed problems go unnoticed? It’s true.
“Most dental conditions are painless in their early stages, but once pain gets your attention, it’s usually indicative of a larger problem that will require more treatment, will cost more, and could even jeopardize your teeth and your oral health.
“As Americans with access to fluoridated water in our drinking supplies, many of us are blessed with great teeth. And because we have been taught to brush and floss regularly, we may think its okay to disregard regular dental visits because, well, if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it, right?
“All of the dental plans at Dental Insurance Store help you save money on preventive and diagnostic procedures, and for that reason that’s why I’m asking for your vote today as the VIPP in your dental plan search.”
Thank you Preventive Care, for those thoughtful remarks. Our next candidate will now present a different perspective on their qualifications for VIPP. Compare Plans Carefully, the floor is yours.
Compare Plans Carefully “Thank you Dental Insurance Store for the opportunity to present my side to your readers today. Ladies and gentlemen, considering a dental plan is a big deal for many of us, and we are blessed in this sweet land of liberty with a wide range of affordable options. Many of you may think that a plan’s monthly premium is the most important consideration when choosing a dental plan. Bullfeathers!“I’m sorry, please excuse my language readers, but I’m very passionate about this subject and here’s why: there are a lot of considerations when choosing a plan that best meets your needs, including annual maximums, deductibles, copay and coinsurance amounts, and whether or not a plan has a waiting period on a procedure you may need sooner rather than later.
“As a rule of thumb its best to look at every aspect of your choices and estimate how much each may cost you over a three-year period. Fortunately Dental Insurance Store makes that easy for voters by clearly posting the cost for most covered procedures with a link to the plan details found in each plan’s quote.”
Thank you Compare Plans Carefully, for that impassioned perspective. Our next candidate, Network, will address why choosing a network plan is an important consideration when voting for VIPP.
Network Plan “Thank you for having us here today, and for sponsoring this forum. We know that any of you shopping for dental coverage want nothing more than the assurance that your hard earned dollars will be spent appropriately.
“Folks, out on the campaign trail I’m frequently asked why plans use networks. ‘They restrict choice’ and ‘networks insinuate themselves between patients and their dentists.’ But that’s missing the point, I tell them. The reason why dental insurance plans offer networks is to save their members money.
“You see, by contracting with dentists to perform procedures at negotiated rates, members pay less for quality dental care. Dental Health Maintenance Organization plans like DHMOs and Preferred Provider Organization plans like PPOs frequently save their members as much as 50% on major procedures like root canals, crowns and periodontal treatment.
“Thanks to talented dental professionals across the fruited plain, entrepreneurial minded dental plans and transparent groups like Dental Insurance Store, many Americans in both densely populated and rural areas have access to full-service network plans for as little as $7 a month! Is this a great country or what?!”
Thank you Network, and yes, America is a great country. America is all about life, liberty and the pursuit of oral health happiness, and we’re happy to play a part in that wonderful heritage. With that thought in mind, it’s time to hear from our last candidate for VIPP, Two-for-One. Sir, the podium is all yours.
Two-for-One “Thank you for that, and thanks to all you for your courtesy and attention in today’s debate.
A wise man once said there are two kinds of people using discount dental plans in this world: those without dental insurance and those with it. People often ask me in my travels, ‘Why would anyone with dental insurance even consider a discount dental plan?’ Simple. Some dental plans like PPOs have waiting periods on certain procedures stretching anywhere from 12 months to 18 months.
“Because discount dental plans have no waiting periods and some of them can be used as early as the next day, those needing immediate dental treatment but stuck in a waiting period can use a discount dental plan to cover the expense their regular plan won’t cover yet.
“Before investing in a discount dental plan it’s important to consult your dentist to see if they participate in the plan you are considering. Even if you have regular dental insurance and no waiting period, some discount plans can be used with traditional dental insurance to save even more money. Contact your insurance company before receiving treatment to see if you can use a discount plan along with your current insurance.
“And did I mention discount dental plans are inexpensive alternatives to traditional dental insurance? My fellow Americans, these are tough times for many of us, but I want to assure all those reading today that Dental Insurance Store offers nationwide discount dental plans for as little as $6.75 a month. If you think that’s still too much, think of the children, future generations and the legacy of personal responsibility you leave them by saying ‘yes’ to such a plan today.”
Dental Insurance Store wants to thank all of our VIPP candidates in today’s debate for their participation and for this refreshing exchange of ways to save money on a dental plan. All of you put forth excellent points as to how those voters seeking quality dental coverage can save money with your ideas. Well done all!
For those wanting more information on dental plans available in their little corner of the land of the free, click here. Thanks for reading, and for more 24/7 dental plan coverage and analysis, follow us daily on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, and LinkedIn.
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Copyright 2014, Bloom Insurance Agency, LLC