According to research, around 1 in 4 seniors aged 65 and above haven’t had a dental checkup in 5 years or more. And that’s not because their oral health is stellar. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. 16 percent of seniors are categorized as having poor dental hygiene.
As oral health concerns grow due to the release of illuminating research, many senior people are looking to Medicare for help. The sad part is that Medicare doesn’t have much to offer with regard to dental care in any of its plans. There also isn’t much help given to elderly people who need dental services like dentures or tooth extractions.
So, is Medicare useless for dental health patients? Not quite.
Medicare Part A Dental Coverage
Under the Part A plan, seniors may get coverage for dental services if they receive them in the hospital. This coverage falls under “emergency or complicated dental procedures.”
If you have a Medicare Original plan, you can also have a portion of your dental care expenses covered if dental services are needed to further a radiation procedure. For example, you might need to get a few teeth extracted to prepare for a jaw-related disease that is being treated with radiation therapy. This rule also applies to the treatment of cancerous diseases, as well as heart and kidney transplants.
Medicare Part B Dental Benefits
In some cases, you won’t get coverage from part A and your doctor might claim that Part B benefits apply. Here, costs will be covered if you’re getting a dental treatment as part of a non-dental condition—which is the same as Part A. The catch here is that this dental treatment must occur at the same time as the non-dental condition treatment, and by the same dentist or physician.
Medicare Advantage Dental Benefits
With such meager help afforded in Part A and Part B, it’s best that seniors go for the Medicare Advantage Plan. Also known as Part C, this type of plan is provided by private insurance providers, who can offer you dental coverage based on the plan you choose with them. If you’re looking to get in touch with a private insurance carrier, we suggest you contact Seniors for Medicare. Their expert agents will be able to guide you best on Medicare insurance providers.
PACE
Another viable option is to sign up for the Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. This Medicare program puts seniors in touch with specialists in their area for services that are not usually covered by Medicare—and this includes dental care! You can get more information on PACE and other Medicare Plans by getting in touch with Seniors for Medicare.
Looking for Medicare Complete Plans in NY? Based in New Jersey, this independent insurance agency works with the top insurance providers in the US to bring you the latest, most holistic Medicare plans and services you probably didn’t even know about! They also offer stand alone dental plans that you can purchase directly from them.
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Seniors for Medicare 