Nearly 60 million Americans rely on Medicare to fill their essential need for health insurance. 1 However, Original Medicare and even Medigap plans do not cover dental care in spite of its importance to oral and overall health.
While 78% of Americans currently have dental coverage, 2 nearly two-thirds of those with Medicare lack access to oral healthcare. 3 With 18% of seniors ages 65 and older having untreated tooth decay, 4 it’s important for them to visit the dentist regularly. Yet, almost half of people with Medicare don’t visit the dentist in a given year. 5
Medicare is the U.S. federal health insurance program for individuals: 6
Purchasing a Medicare Advantage Plan is often a good way to get dental coverage, so consider only plans that include dental or you will need to purchase separate individual dental insurance.
Among Medicare beneficiaries who use dental services, 19% spent more than $1,000 on out-of-pocket expenses for a year. 8 If you have Medicare without dental coverage, you can reduce costs and meet this important need with individual dental coverage by simply paying a monthly premium.
Dental coverage saves you money by paying for preventive services and reducing your out-of-pocket costs for many procedures by sharing the cost with you. Dental coverage is often designed to pay for:
There’s additional value in purchasing dental coverage, because you are more likely to:
Delta Dental offers a range of plans for individuals and families, so you can get the same valuable dental benefits that employers offer — including access to the nation’s largest network of dentists and great customer service. Delta Dental also offers Patient Direct, a plan that allows you to get a discount from participating dentists in exchange for a membership fee.** Find out more about the individual dental insurance plans that are available through the nation’s leading provider of dental insurance today.
If you’re looking for other affordable dental insurance options, you may want to consider these other dental insurance options for seniors.
Looking for more information? Delta Dental can help you learn how to keep your smile healthy with these articles:
** Plans and rates may vary. Dental benefits are administered by the independent Delta Dental companies.
1. https://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports/CMS-Fast-Facts/index.html, Fast Facts PDF, Page 1
2. 2018 National Association of Dental Plans Dental Benefits Report
