How No Wait Secondary Dental Coverage Plans Work with Major Services
Major dental services like crowns, bridges, and dentures, are expensive. But they’re also of critical importance in restoring and maintaining oral and overall health. When you need to fix your teeth, you don’t want cost to be a barrier to getting proper care.
But what if you already have a primary dental plan and are stuck in a waiting period? Finding a no wait secondary plan can give you access to savings immediately.
What is a secondary dental plan?
A secondary dental plan is an additional insurance policy to a primary plan. For instance, a person may have their own primary plan through their employer, then a secondary plan individually or as a dependent through a spouse.
So, which plan pays for what aspects of care when you have dual insurance? Coordination of benefits (COB) is a detailed process used to determine just that. Different insurance providers have different COBs, so it’s important to read through plan details thoroughly to understand how costs are split.
What are waiting periods?
Most insurance plans have a required dental waiting period, which is the time between when a patient enrolls in a plan and when it goes into effect. That means there is a period of several months up to a year where the patient has no coverage.
Having a secondary insurance policy can help avoid a lack of coverage during this time.
How does a no wait dental insurance plan with secondary coverage for major services work?
Let’s look at an example scenario for how secondary dental insurance from Spirit Dental works.
A patient needs dental implants, but their employer-sponsored plan doesn’t take effect for twelve months. They shop Spirit plans, which offer no waiting periods for immediate coverage. With their secondary plan, they get 25%* off the first year, plus 25-50% lower in-network rates.
When the patient’s procedure is complete, Spirit Dental will pay the full submitted claim (likely a partial payment). It’s important to keep in mind that Spirit doesn’t coordinate benefits, giving you the best opportunity for more savings.
Is it worth it to have secondary dental insurance?
People with dual coverage may be concerned about the cost of having two plans. There are two monthly premiums, deductibles and possible co-pays to consider. But secondary dental insurance provides a number of potential benefits, like:
- Better coverage for certain treatments or procedures
- Lower out-of-pocket costs for necessary care
- Wider network of dentists to choose from
- Ultimate peace of mind knowing you’re covered and have options
Talk to your dentist
Also key to getting the treatment you and your family need—when and how it works for your schedule and budget—is having an open conversation with your dentist. Putting off the care you need will only make the condition worse and require more extensive and costly care in the future. Being honest with your situation and working together with your provider to create a personalized treatment plan means you get care fast and at a price you’re comfortable with.
Shop Spirit no wait dental plans
Spirit makes it easy to find a secondary dental plan without a waiting period. If you want to bypass a waiting period with your primary plan or need to cover a more extensive procedure, we’ve got the plan that meets your needs. Browse plans in your area and get coverage for yourself and your family now.