Dental Health
08/05/2009
This news bit goes out to
parents and professionals alike. It’s time we stop using that “toothache
excuse” for school and office absences, the American Association for Dental
Research (AADR) says. In the Oral Health Care Within Health Care Reform policy
statement issued by the association on July 14, 2009, it was stressed that the
need to attend to one’s oral and dental aches is urgent, as poor oral care can
result in other serious problems—health-related and not.
According to the AADR,
U.S. employees take 164 million hours off from work in a year, only to attend
to a toothache or a gum irritation. Similarly, children are absent from school
for 51 million hours a year, to be free from dental pain. The association has
concluded that these periodontal diseases create the same full-body
inflammatory response as other internal ailments would, yet they receive much
less attention. The AADR claims that many Americans—more than 80 million, to be
exact—have applied for medical insurance, but not for dental insurance.
In line with this, the
association recalled what the U.S. Surgeon General mentioned in 2000. Back
then, the Surgeon General called upon everyone to recognize the importance of
oral health measures. He even proposed that lawmakers "build an effective
health infrastructure that meets the oral health needs of all Americans and
integrates oral health effectively into overall health.”
Today, the AADR recommends
that continued information dissemination regarding accessible and affordable
oral health insurance must be conducted among Americans, if that would mean
better oral health and, in turn, general health, as well.
Click here to view this article
08/05/2009
Sometimes
even the most comprehensive health insurance plans do not provide coverage for
dental and vision care, or severely restrict patient access to these important
services. Purchasing extra
coverage for dental and vision care services can be a smart way to supplement
an existing health insurance policy or obtain essential coverage to help you
and your family stay healthy.
A dental
health maintenance organization (DHMO) is typically the least expensive option
for supplemental dental insurance.
Members of DHMOs are required to choose from an approved list of network
providers and, as long as patients use an in-network provider, most services
are fully covered including cleanings, x-rays, braces, implants, and even some
cosmetic procedures like teeth whitening and veneers. A small co-payment for services is often required, but there
are no limits to the number of times members can see their doctor during a
calendar year.
Dental
indemnity plans give patients complete freedom to choose any provider they
wish. Indemnity insurance will pay
a portion of the fees related to services and the insured individual is
responsible for the remaining balance. These kinds of plans are usually the most expensive option,
but they remain an attractive possibility because of their flexibility.
Preferred Provider
Organizations (PPOs) are less expensive than an indemnity plan, but usually
cost more than a DHMO. Patients
have the option to choose a provider from the PPO’s approved network or to pay
slightly more out of pocket to see an oral healthcare professional outside of
the group’s network.
A scheduled
plan reimburses patients for a set amount of money based on a list, or
schedule, of covered services. For
example, if a policyholder’s dentist charges $50 for a routine cleaning and
insurance pays $25 according to the schedule, the patient is responsible for
the remaining $25. Many scheduled
plans set a maximum calendar year benefit, which means that a patient is
responsible for any and all charges that exceed this amount in a single
year. There are also yearly
deductibles, and some plans require a waiting period before patients are
allowed to seek certain types of care.
Dental
discount plans are not the same as insurance. For an annual membership fee, patients are given a card that
provides access to specially discounted rates on services. All costs are paid out of pocket by
plan members. Usually these
discount plans offer unlimited use within an approved network of providers.
Vision
insurance can help defray the costs of things like annual eye exams, eyeglass
frames and lenses, contacts, and even vision correction procedures like LASIK
surgery.
A vision
benefits package provides services in exchange for an annual premium. There are usually yearly membership
fees, deductibles and patient co-payments, as well. Like dental discount plans, vision discount programs offer
comprehensive, unlimited care at discounted rates. These plans may require an annual membership fee and
deductible.
Both dental
and vision supplemental insurance are relatively inexpensive and are a good
investment if your comprehensive health plan does not offer coverage, or limits
access to these services.
Click here to view this article
08/05/2009
The health maintenance
organization (HMO) dental insurance plan is the type of insurance that requires
some type of prepayment from a patient. The patient, in turn, is provided with
dental care from providers within the network. Of course, if the patient wishes
to use the service of a dentist outside the network, he or she will have to pay
the entire bill, which is known as a capitation dental insurance plan.
A dentist within the
network receives his or her payment once a month by the insurance provider, and
this payment is usually fixed. This is one of the differences between an HMO
and preferred provider organization (PPO) dental insurance plan. A dentist who
is within the network may agree to lower the cost for the patient provided that
the insurance company refers other patients to the dentist so that he or she
may have more clients, and therefore a greater income.
An HMO dental insurance
plan covers the following services: basic dental services. This includes
cleaning, dental exams and X-rays, and other procedures such as dental crowns,
dentures and bridgework. These procedures, however, are slightly less common.
Furthermore, part of the cost of these procedures is shouldered by the patient.
Nevertheless, the costs of the basic dental services are not shouldered by the
patient.
The advantages of an HMO
dental plan lie in the absolute entitlement of an eligible patient to dental
care. This means that despite the lack of full compensation, the patient will
still be treated. There are a number of companies that provide a variety of
dental plans. These may help patients weigh the coverage he or she needs
against the amount of money he or she is willing to pay for dental care.
Click here to view this article
07/28/2009
This news bit goes out to parents and professionals alike. It’s time we stop using that “toothache excuse” for school and office absences, the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) says. In the Oral Health Care Within Health Care Reform policy statement issued by the association on July 14, 2009, it was stressed that the need to attend to one’s oral and dental aches is urgent, as poor oral care can result in other serious problems—health-related and not.
According to the AADR, U.S. employees take 164 million hours off from work in a year, only to attend to a toothache or a gum irritation. Similarly, children are absent from school for 51 million hours a year, to be free from dental pain. The association has concluded that these periodontal diseases create the same full-body inflammatory response as other internal ailments would, yet they receive much less attention. The AADR claims that many Americans—more than 80 million, to be exact—have applied for medical insurance, but not for dental insurance.
In line with this, the association recalled what the U.S. Surgeon General mentioned in 2000. Back then, the Surgeon General called upon everyone to recognize the importance of oral health measures. He even proposed that lawmakers \"build an effective health infrastructure that meets the oral health needs of all Americans and integrates oral health effectively into overall health.”
Today, the AADR recommends that continued information dissemination regarding accessible and affordable oral health insurance must be conducted among Americans, if that would mean better oral health and, in turn, general health, as well.
Click here to view this article
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