While the need for health insurance is easy to see, many people neglect to consider the need for dental, vision and hearing insurance (DVH). With many people struggling to afford even basic insurance, DVH can seem almost like a luxury but not having it can cost you far more in the long run. Problems with your teeth, hearing or vision can happen suddenly and create large, unexpected expenses that insurance can greatly reduce. To ensure you’re prepared to deal with whatever your health throws at you, consider these facts about DVH:
1. You Can’t Wait Until the Last Minute: When you’re feeling healthy, it’s easy to assume you can go without certain types of insurance, especially dental. However, by the time you start feeling a toothache you may already be on the way to a more serious problem like a root canal or tooth abscess. Not only is it unpleasant trying to shop for insurance when you’re already in pain, you may find yourself waiting for up to a year before you’re able to use your insurance because ancillary plans often have significant waiting periods.
2. Medicare Doesn’t Cover DVH: If you plan to use Medicare as your primary insurance, it’s important to know that DVH isn’t covered or is only partially covered. Having a supplemental plan can save you thousands since older individuals are even more likely to need vision and hearing care. Recommended: Join a MediGap plan and choose supplemental DVH insurance for maximum coverage and flexibility.
3. Know Your Network: If you have a preferred dentist, eye or hearing doctor, make sure they’re within the network of your plan. Depending on your location and access to transportation, it can be especially important to choose a plan with a wide or unlimited network.
4. Pre-Existing Condition Coverage: Depending on the plan, a preexisting condition could be covered. However, this isn’t the case with all plans and some will stipulate that your condition isn’t covered during a waiting period. If you’re concerned about your coverage for an existing condition, contact an Arbor Creek agent for fast help.
5. Know Your Coverage Needs: Most plans have a maximum benefit they are willing to pay per calendar year. If you have chronic issues that require treatment or know that you are likely to require a great deal of care for vision, dental or hearing problems, it’s recommended that you go with a maximum benefit. While the premiums will be higher, you are likely to save more in the long run this way.
Choosing your DVH Plan
Like with many insurance types, DVH can have a lot of options and it can be difficult to know which is right for you. To ensure you get the best plan to suit your needs, Arbor Creek Financial offers comprehensive consultation and support in choosing a DVH plan. For friendly, knowledgeable support, use our easy contact us form.