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Dental total cost of care – what does it really mean?

When you talk about the value of a dental plan, total cost of care is the way to measure. Total cost of care includes the premium plus the out of pocket costs for employees. When helping your clients evaluate dental plans on the total cost basis, you give a more accurate comparison than simply looking at premiums. Contract differences, such as exclusions and limitations, may seem like minor issues – but to your clients, it can have a big impact. Let’s look at two examples:

• A crown build-up is frequently needed to provide support for a new crown to ensure long term success. While the crown may be covered, some carriers exclude the cost of the crown build-up – not HealthPartners. A crown build-up is typically around $250. Without coverage, that money will come out of the employee’s pocket.
• Oral Surgery can be very expensive – often exceeding $3,000. Some carriers exclude complex or other oral surgery making your clients’ employees responsible for the entire amount. The value of having this covered under a dental plan is easily worth hundreds of dollars each month to the employees that need it.

So, when comparing dental premiums, especially when employees pay a share of the premium, look at the full plan design differences (including the ‘fine print’) to understand the true total cost of dental care. Your client may be getting exactly what they paid for.

Please contact your HealthPartners Account Management Team for more information.