Do I need to buy dental insurance during the ACA open enrollment period?
Does the ACA open enrollment period apply to dental insurance?
It’s that time of year again, open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act and Medicare. This is the time of year to enroll in health insurance or make changes to Medicare, and it usually lasts from around the beginning of November to mid December. What about dental insurance? Let’s take a look to answer this question and see how dental fits in.
You can enroll in individual dental plans anytime of the year
Open enrollment is the one time of the year that anyone can sign up for health insurance and seniors can make changes to Medicare. However individuals, families, and seniors can enroll in dental plans anytime of the year. So the open enrollment period for the ACA does not apply to dental insurance. This gives members more flexibility to be able to sign up for a dental plan when it’s a more convenient time to do so.
It can be a good idea to enroll in dental at the same time as medical
Even though members are not required to sign up for dental insurance during open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act, it can still be a good idea to enroll in a dental plan at the same time you select your health plan.
If you’re already taking the time to complete the online enrollment information for medical, then it makes sense to go ahead and get a dental plan too. This way your effective dates will be the same and your plans will renew at the same time of the year. This can make it easier to keep up with any plan changes you make.
Medicare members should consider a private dental insurance plan
For seniors who are electing Medicare or making changes to your supplements, open enrollment can also be a good time to consider a dental insurance plan. Medicare does not include any benefits for routine dental services. Therefore seniors who want to see the dentist to maintain their oral health would need to sign up for a separate dental plan in order to get access to dental benefits. There are many affordable dental options for seniors with strong benefits to meet their oral care needs.
Evaluate your benefit needs each year
Just like home or auto insurance, it’s a good idea to evaluate your medical and dental insurance options each year to see if you need to make any plan adjustments. You can always consider other carriers or plan options that might suit your needs better. As rates change, you might get a better deal with another plan. It never hurts to shop around.
Regardless if you’re enrolling in medical, dental, vision, or other benefit plans, the ACA and Medicare open enrollment period can be a great time to evaluate your coverage options and make enrollments at one time. However, with dental insurance you’re not limited to the open enrollment period as you can sign up at anytime of the year. That’s good news for those who don’t want to wait for the next open enrollment period to get dental coverage.
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