Most self-employed people have medical insurance but relatively few have dental insurance. Medical insurance is required by law but dental insurance is not. In the past, small business health insurance plans often included dental insurance as an option. These plans were eliminated by the Affordable Care Act. Even just a few years into implementation of health care reform law, we are starting to see the results in deferred and neglected dental care.
I’ve had the opportunity to review and advise on dozens of specific dental insurance plans over the years through my work with OnlineNavigator. I can sum up those reviews by saying that none of them are overwhelmingly impressive to consumers. The best advice is to buy insurance long before you need it because the primary complaint is that dental insurance does not cover large expenses in the first year of the policy. I recommend Core Dental Insurance because it has the most liberal coverage for pre-existing dental problems of those that I have reviewed.
Self-employed people should realize that individual dental insurance is significantly different than group dental insurance offered by larger employers. When dental insurance is not a viable choice, a dental discount plan is often a better value. Careington is the market leader and the highest quality option.
In any case, it makes sense to allocate your total health care budget between medical and dental care. It makes no sense to spend all your budget on Obamacare and then have no room to take care of your teeth.
Leave a Reply