What You Should Know Before Seeking Out-of-Network Care

There are numerous reasons why you may be tempted to go outside of your health insurance provider network in order to get care. However, when you have dental insurance, you are ultimately taking financial and other risks when you are seeking a dentist who is not in-network with your dental benefits plan. Continue reading to learn a few of the reasons why you may want to think twice about seeing an out-of-network dentist for your dental care.

Financial Risks

The point of dental insurance plans is to make receiving dental care as affordable as possible. There are several different financial risks involved with making the decision to seek out-of-network care:

• Loss of Health Plan Discount: If a dentist is in-network, they have an agreement on the rate that they will be charging you for your care. When you choose a dentist who is out-of-network, you are not guaranteed these same discounts, so you may end up paying more to get the same level of care.
• Balance-Billing: An out-of-network practice can bill you for anything that is leftover after your dental insurance pays their part. If your dental insurance doesn’t agree on the cost of a treatment, you could be left with a bigger portion of the bill that you will need to pay out of pocket.

Quality Care Issues

Your dental insurance company does essential research before they accept a dental practice into their network. If a practice shows that they are not meeting high standards, they will not be accepted or can be dropped. If you choose an out-of-network dentist, it will be up to you to determine whether or not they meet the quality of care that you are looking for. Ultimately, if you don’t do careful research, you could end up with issues.

More Responsibility

You will be accountable for more aspects of your dental care if you do not choose a dentist that is in-network. This includes researching the best care in the area, requesting your own dental records, and negotiating your rate. Ultimately, this is quite a bit more work on your part than what you would have if you opted for an in-network provider for your dental care.

When it comes to your dental insurance, maximizing it is key! By choosing an in-network provider, you can get the most out of your benefits and ultimately save both your smile and your wallet!

About the Practice

At Bear Creek Family Dentistry, a team of general dentists, pediatric dentists, orthodontists, oral surgeons, and prosthodontists all work together to provide quality care to their patients in Far North Dallas. Patients can get pretty much everything they need in one convenient location. They accept virtually all major fee-for-service insurance and are in-network with most major dental insurance plans. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit their website or call (972) 490-1600.