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If you have been shopping for dental or medical coverage for you and your
family you may have come across a variety of different and sometimes confusing
programs. Whether you are searching for medical or dental coverage there are
basically two options to choose from including traditional insurance plans and
discount health programs.
Traditional dental or medical "insurance" is based on an actual insurance
contract. Health and dental Insurance premiums are paid in exchange for a promise on behalf of the
insurance company to pay the bills in accordance with the stipulations outlined
in the insurance policy or agreement. Depending on the policy there may be
co-payments and deductibles as well as exclusions for pre-existing conditions or
limitations on certain types of treatments that are covered. Insurance plans are
often expensive and are most often made available through businesses to their
employees. The employers often pay a portion of the premium making it more
affordable for their employees.
Medical or dental discount programs are not actually insurance. Discount dental
and medical benefits provide their members with discounts on dental and medical
treatment through participating network providers. Members pay a fee to
participate in exchange for discounts that can range from 10-80% off regular
prices. The leading discount dental provider is Ameriplan USA®. Ameriplan Health® also offers group memberships enabling small business an affordable health and dental benefits to their employees. The medical and dental providers contract with the program to only charge
members based on these discounts. The members benefit from reduced fees and the
providers benefit from the exposure to the membership pool. Because this is not
an insurance contract program there are no exclusions for pre-existing conditions
or limitations on treatment.
Whether a dental/medical discount program or a traditional insurance policy
is right for you will depend upon many factors including your healthcare needs,
frequency of treatment and budget constraints. Before deciding on a either a
discount or an insurance plan take time to investigate all of the details
thoroughly because nothing is more important than your family's health.
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