BlueCare Dental Insurance – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois

If your family is applying for health insurance through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois why not consider adding its dental plan as well. BCBSIL offers BlueCare Dental PPO, an insurance rider for individuals and families who are considering health insurance through BCBSIL. Please note, that in order to get the dental insurance coverage it must be added at the time of application for the health insurance and can’t be added later after the health insurance policy is in force.

Premiums & Cost

The premiums for this plan are extremely kind to your family’s pocket book. An individual and his or her spouse can add the dental insurance rider for $50.10 to $53.10 per month; an individual and his or her child(ren) can receive dental insurance for $42.95 to $45.50 per month; and an individual and his or her entire family can add the plan for $73.45 to 77.85 per month.

One factor that makes this plan a hit with so many families is a high policy limit – $1500, per individual, per year. Many companies who provide dental insurance limit their coverage to $1000 or even $500 per year.

Benefits & Coverage

For the sake of simplicity, BlueCare Dental PPO has addressed three types of services.

The first type of service encompasses routine, preventive care such as checkups and cleanings. If an individual uses an in-network provider to receive these services, the policy covers 100% of the cost. There is no deductible and no copayment.

The second type of services deals with relatively minor dental repairs such as filling a cavity, applying sealant, or extracting a tooth. If an individual uses an in-network provider, the insurance covers 80% of allowable costs, leaving the individual with a 20% copay. Like preventive services, minor dental repairs require no deductible.

The third type of services addresses complex, costly dental treatment such as oral surgery, bridges, crowns, and dentures. There is a benefit waiting period of one year to qualify for bridges, crowns, and dentures. In other words, you are not eligible for these services unless you have been with the dental plan for 12 consecutive months. There is also a $50 deductible per member. Once the deductible and the waiting period, if applicable, have been met, the plan pays 50% of allowable charges. Your copay is the other 50%.

Many parents worry about the cost of braces or retainers to straighten their children’s crooked teeth. This branch of dental work, called orthodontics, is considered cosmetic and therefore is not covered under the BlueCare Dental PPO rider. If you use an in-network provider for orthodontic services, however, you are entitled to a 20% discount up to a maximum savings of $1000.

Philosophy

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is well aware that many families struggle with dental expenses. Its BlueCare Dental PPO is designed to help families get the dental services they need while saving as much money as possible.