A growing number of group dental plans are rewarding members who receive regular preventive care with an extra allowance they can use to help cover big expenses such as bridges or implants.
The maximum-limit rollover programs, which work a lot like cellphone plans that let customers roll over unused minutes, started a few years ago at Ameritas Life Insurance and Guardian Life Insurance Co. of America.
Today, this design has spread to some plans at insurers including UnitedHealth Group, Cigna and Starmount Life Insurance. Principal Financial Group is set to start its program effective Oct. 1 for plans sold after July 1. All plans aren’t available in all states.
Here’s how the rollover plans generally work:
A patient who sees his dentist at least once a year for an exam and cleaning, but whose care costs less than a certain amount, say $500, can roll over a portion of his maximum remaining allowance to the following year.
The portion depends on the insurer and the employer’s plan.
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