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If you’re wondering if you can have two dental insurance plans, it is possible. Keep reading to understand dual dental coverage and how it may help you save on dental treatment.
What is Dual Dental Coverage?
Dual dental coverage is when you’re covered under two different dental insurance plans. This type of coverage usually occurs when you have two jobs that each offer dental benefits, or you’re covered under your spouse’s plan along with your own dental coverage.
Dual dental coverage can be seen as supplemental dental coverage, filling in the gaps of your coverage when you reach your primary policy’s annual spending limit or when a plan doesn’t cover necessary or desired dental treatments.
Understanding Coordination of Benefits (COB)
When you visit a dentist with dual dental coverage, they need to figure out which plan pays for what dental care to ensure the cumulative coverage doesn’t surpass 100% of the total charges. This process is called coordination of benefits (COB). State laws and regulations play an important role when it comes to the coordination of benefits. Some rules limit what a plan can cover, while other provisions might involve a detailed process to adopt. Ultimately, COB helps avoid payment delays and ensures that insurers process your claims correctly.
What is secondary dental insurance?
With COB, one plan is designated as the primary plan and the other as your secondary plan. Let’s explore the differences between these two plans.
Primary vs. secondary insurance
- Primary dental insurance — Your primary dental insurance is the plan in which you’re covered as a member rather than a dependent. If you have two jobs where you’re covered as a member, your primary plan is the one that has provided coverage longer. Typically, your primary plan will pay out your benefits first
- Secondary dental insurance — Your secondary dental insurance is the plan in which you’re covered as a dependent. Generally, your secondary dental policy will not accept a claim until you pay the primary claim. Your secondary insurer will likely ask you to provide a copy of the primary payment information. Additionally, state laws and regulations usually require COB if you’re trying to get your secondary policy to pay for dental treatment.
How can I have two dental insurance plans?
You can have dental insurance if you have two jobs that provide dental benefits, or you have dental coverage under your employer and are covered under your spouse’s dental insurance as a dependent. Additionally, you can have dental insurance and a dental savings plan, which can help fill the gaps in your insurance policy.
While dual dental coverage doesn’t necessarily mean your benefits are doubled, it can mean additional savings on your dental procedures. This is because many dental insurance companies have a clause that prevents the duplication of benefits. For example, if each plan covers major procedures up to 50%, you won’t receive 100% coverage. Some insurance companies employ a maintenance of benefits clause, which reduces covered charges by the amount the primary plan has paid, then applies plan deductible and coinsurance criteria. Check your secondary plan’s terms and conditions to see what type of clause they have written.
How Dual Coverage Can Affect Dental Insurance Costs
Having dual dental insurance coverage can lower out-of-pocket costs, but it’s important to weigh this against the additional dental insurance cost of maintaining two plans. Premiums, deductibles, and copayments from both plans might add up, so consider your typical dental needs and whether your expenses justify paying for multiple policies.
Premium Costs for Multiple Plans
If both your primary and secondary coverage are employer-sponsored, you might have minimal or no additional premium costs. However, if one plan is self-funded, such as a dental discount plan or a dental health maintenance organization (DHMO) plan, you’ll want to evaluate if the coverage reduces expenses enough to offset the costs.
Benefit Coordination and Maximum Coverage Limits
Dual coverage can help extend your dental benefits, especially if your primary plan has a lower annual maximum for dental work. However, some insurance companies limit the total amount paid across both plans. Reviewing these details with your dental insurance provider can clarify if dual insurance will significantly reduce your dental bills. It is important to understand how you can coordinate your benefits, as these vary by insurer.
Out-of-Pocket Costs and Copayments
While dual insurance reduces out-of-pocket expenses for costly dental procedures, some services may still require copayments or partial coverage. With plans like a dental preferred provider organization (DPPO) or DHMO, different policies may have varying copayment structures, so understanding these specifics is crucial. In summary, depending on your dental needs, dual coverage can provide added support for extensive dental work but may increase total expenses depending on your policy type, dental provider, and usage.
Utilizing a dental savings plan with your insurance coverage
Dual dental coverage can help you save on out-of-pocket costs, prevent lapses in coverage, and make you feel secure during a dental emergency. But two dental insurance plans aren’t the only way to get these types of savings and peace of mind.
You can pair your dental insurance with a dental savings plan, a trusted alternative to dental insurance. Plan members report saving an average of 50%* on their dental care. And, unlike dental insurance, dental savings plans have no annual limits, and no restrictions on existing health conditions, and your savings start right away, even on restorative care such as root canals, crowns, dentures, and dental implants. Many plans also include cosmetic dental procedures such as teeth whitening and overlays. So you can be confident you’re prepared for any dental treatment need or emergency.
It’s simple to choose a plan at DentalPlans.com, the largest marketplace for dental savings plans and dental insurance. You can compare more than 25 plans from the most trusted brands in healthcare, and easily join your selected plan. Want a personalized plan recommendation? Give us a call at 1-833-735-0399 or use our calculator below for a quick peek at how much you can save.
*Discount Health Program consumer and provider surveys indicate average savings of 50%. Savings may vary by provider, location, and plan.
