PAYMENT OPTIONS
Dr. VanWechel believes that his patients deserve to have choices for dental care regardless of what their insurance contract covers. Frequently patients are disappointed when they learn that the procedures they desire are not covered by their insurance program. They are especially troubled when they learn that their insurance always has a co-pay and a maximum annual benefit of approximately $1,000. As explained in Dental & Medical Insurance later in this section, dental insurance programs do NOT cover 100 percent of the basic dental care recommended by the American Dental Association.
To deal with this disparity, my office offers a variety of methods for payment from which my patients may choose, either alone or in combination.
They include:
• Payment in the form of cash, check, or major credit card.
• Cash payment in full (An immediate 10 percent discount)
• We gladly accept the following employer-provided funding sources:
Health Savings Account
Flex Plan
Cafeteria Plan
• For patients who need to pay for their services over an extended 
period of time, we also accept:
Care Credit
We help patients apply for financing through this program which provides
interest-free loans for up to one year, or extended payment interest-bearing loans for up to five years.
ChaseHealthAdvance
We also help patients apply for financing through this program which provides interest-free loans for up to two years, or extended payment interest-bearing loans for up to four years
With either the Care Credit or ChaseHealthAdvance financing options, applying is simple and quick. There are no down payments, application fees or pre-payment penalties, so patients can finance up to 100 percent of their treatment. And they can proceed with their treatment immediately
"As a dentist, my job is to help people save their teeth, improve their smile and enhance their self-image. To do this, I combine my 30 years of experience and advanced studies with the most progressive, state-of-the-art dental technology available today. I do NOT wish to compromise my patients’ dental care because of unrealistic rules and restraints imposed by dental insurance companies. Dentistry is not inexpensive. But neither is it expensive! My team is committed to helping you find a way to get the care you want using the funding source (or sources) that works best for you. Cost should NOT be a barrier to your treatment."
Ron VanWechel, DDS
DENTAL INSURANCE
To many dental patients, the subject of insurance is confusing and exasperating. Few patients have a proper understanding of the benefits to which they are entitled, and even fewer understand how cosmetic dentistry or periodontal procedures fit into the overall insurance picture.
There is a huge disparity between the basic standard of dental care as defined by the American Dental Association (ADA) and the less than basic level of care that may be covered under an insurance policy. While the ADA seeks compliance with its standard requirements, dental insurance companies only pay for the procedures and materials specified in a contract with employers. Most people are shocked to learn that they don’t have 100 percent coverage.
To help educate patients on these sometimes confusing issues, I have listed below some of the questions I am most frequently asked about insurance. I hope you will find this information helpful.
Ron VanWechel, DDS
Q. What exactly is dental insurance?
A. Dental insurance is a contract between your employer and a dental insurance company. The benefits you receive from your policy are based on the terms of the contract negotiated between your employer and the dental insurance company selected by your employer. In virtually all instances, dental insurance provides only a partial allowance for basic care and some other specified dental services.
Q. Is a dental insurance policy similar to a general health insurance policy?
A. Actually there are major differences between the two. One of the most significant differences lies in the amount of coverage you can count on. In the case of dental insurance, even the most comprehensive policy will never pay for all of the dental service you receive. Dental insurance is an allowance rather than a pay-all proposition.
Q. Why doesn’t my dental insurance cover all of my dental needs?
A. Your dental plan is strictly a business relationship between your employer and the selected dental insurance company. The amount your plan pays is determined by the agreement negotiated by your employer with the insurer, and, of course, the negotiating parties have no knowledge of your dental needs. In most cases, the dental benefits you receive are mediated by your company’s human resources representative and the dental insurance agent. Cost, not dental care, is always the prime consideration. ADA recommendations for basic care are not a significant factor in these bargaining sessions. Essentially, your dental coverage is determined not by your dental needs—but by how much your employer contributes to the plan. And like automobile insurance, there is always a deductible negotiated up front. No dental insurance company pays the whole cost.
Q. Who decides how much will be paid when insurance is involved?
A. The insurance company does. Typically, a dental insurance company will survey a geographical area and calculate an “average fee” for dental services within that area. Then, the company will take 50-80 percent of that fee amount and declare it “usual and customary.” Anything above that “usual and customary” figure is not paid. Insurance companies consider this to be the patient’s co-payment. They also will reduce the patient’s benefit by an annual deductible.
Q. Does this mean that typical fees for dentistry services will not be covered by dental insurance plans?
A. Unfortunately, when insurance companies calculate the average fee for a geographical area, their calculations are based on the lowest common denominator for dental services. For instance, they include the lowest cost, lowest quality dental materials, and of course, they include the services provided by discount dental clinics and managed care facilities. Therefore, as you would expect, a high quality dental practice normally will exceed the “usual and customary” fees established by dental insurance companies.
Q. Do these restrictions also apply to Laser Gum Therapy procedures?
A. In the case of Laser Gum Therapy, a specialty of my practice, many insurance plans impose a waiting period for treatment. At the end of the waiting period, coverage may be only 50 percent of the cost of treatment up to the patient’s annual benefit, less the deductible. The reality is that insurance limits are arbitrarily determined by carriers and used to reduce the benefits of dental plans.
Dr. VanWechel believes that his patients deserve to have choices for dental care regardless of what their insurance contract covers. Frequently patients are disappointed when they learn that the procedures they desire are not covered by their insurance program. They are especially troubled when they learn that their insurance always has a co-pay and a maximum annual benefit of approximately $1,000. As explained in Dental & Medical Insurance later in this section, dental insurance programs do NOT cover 100 percent of the basic dental care recommended by the American Dental Association.
To deal with this disparity, my office offers a variety of methods for payment from which my patients may choose, either alone or in combination.
They include:
• Payment in the form of cash, check, or major credit card.• Cash payment in full (An immediate 10 percent discount)• We gladly accept the following employer-provided funding sources:Health Savings AccountFlex PlanCafeteria Plan• For patients who need to pay for their services over an extended period of time, we also accept:Care Credit
We help patients apply for financing through this program which provides
interest-free loans for up to one year, or extended payment interest-bearing loans for up to five years.
ChaseHealthAdvance
We also help patients apply for financing through this program which provides interest-free loans for up to two years, or extended payment interest-bearing loans for up to four years
With either the Care Credit or ChaseHealthAdvance financing options, applying is simple and quick. There are no down payments, application fees or pre-payment penalties, so patients can finance up to 100 percent of their treatment. And they can proceed with their treatment immediately
"As a dentist, my job is to help people save their teeth, improve their smile and enhance their self-image. To do this, I combine my 30 years of experience and advanced studies with the most progressive, state-of-the-art dental technology available today. I do NOT wish to compromise my patients’ dental care because of unrealistic rules and restraints imposed by dental insurance companies. Dentistry is not inexpensive. But neither is it expensive! My team is committed to helping you find a way to get the care you want using the funding source (or sources) that works best for you. Cost should NOT be a barrier to your treatment."
Ron VanWechel, DDS
DENTAL INSURANCE
To many dental patients, the subject of insurance is confusing and exasperating. Few patients have a proper understanding of the benefits to which they are entitled, and even fewer understand how cosmetic dentistry or periodontal procedures fit into the overall insurance picture.
There is a huge disparity between the basic standard of dental care as defined by the American Dental Association (ADA) and the less than basic level of care that may be covered under an insurance policy. While the ADA seeks compliance with its standard requirements, dental insurance companies only pay for the procedures and materials specified in a contract with employers. Most people are shocked to learn that they don’t have 100 percent coverage.
To help educate patients on these sometimes confusing issues, I have listed below some of the questions I am most frequently asked about insurance. I hope you will find this information helpful.
Ron VanWechel, DDS
Q. What exactly is dental insurance?
A. Dental insurance is a contract between your employer and a dental insurance company. The benefits you receive from your policy are based on the terms of the contract negotiated between your employer and the dental insurance company selected by your employer. In virtually all instances, dental insurance provides only a partial allowance for basic care and some other specified dental services.
Q. Is a dental insurance policy similar to a general health insurance policy?
A. Actually there are major differences between the two. One of the most significant differences lies in the amount of coverage you can count on. In the case of dental insurance, even the most comprehensive policy will never pay for all of the dental service you receive. Dental insurance is an allowance rather than a pay-all proposition.
Q. Why doesn’t my dental insurance cover all of my dental needs?
A. Your dental plan is strictly a business relationship between your employer and the selected dental insurance company. The amount your plan pays is determined by the agreement negotiated by your employer with the insurer, and, of course, the negotiating parties have no knowledge of your dental needs. In most cases, the dental benefits you receive are mediated by your company’s human resources representative and the dental insurance agent. Cost, not dental care, is always the prime consideration. ADA recommendations for basic care are not a significant factor in these bargaining sessions. Essentially, your dental coverage is determined not by your dental needs—but by how much your employer contributes to the plan. And like automobile insurance, there is always a deductible negotiated up front. No dental insurance company pays the whole cost.
Q. Who decides how much will be paid when insurance is involved?
A. The insurance company does. Typically, a dental insurance company will survey a geographical area and calculate an “average fee” for dental services within that area. Then, the company will take 50-80 percent of that fee amount and declare it “usual and customary.” Anything above that “usual and customary” figure is not paid. Insurance companies consider this to be the patient’s co-payment. They also will reduce the patient’s benefit by an annual deductible.
Q. Does this mean that typical fees for dentistry services will not be covered by dental insurance plans?
A. Unfortunately, when insurance companies calculate the average fee for a geographical area, their calculations are based on the lowest common denominator for dental services. For instance, they include the lowest cost, lowest quality dental materials, and of course, they include the services provided by discount dental clinics and managed care facilities. Therefore, as you would expect, a high quality dental practice normally will exceed the “usual and customary” fees established by dental insurance companies.
Q. Do these restrictions also apply to Laser Gum Therapy procedures?
A. In the case of Laser Gum Therapy, a specialty of my practice, many insurance plans impose a waiting period for treatment. At the end of the waiting period, coverage may be only 50 percent of the cost of treatment up to the patient’s annual benefit, less the deductible. The reality is that insurance limits are arbitrarily determined by carriers and used to reduce the benefits of dental plans.