For many retired Americans, Medicare provides a health safety net that would otherwise be unobtainable on a fixed income. Although the service aims to provide similar coverage to many employer insurance plans, it is not comprehensive. One of the most notable gaps in coverage is the lack of dental insurance.
Every week, our office receives at least one request to bill Medicare for dental treatment. Unfortunately, the differences between medical and dental coding and billing make this impossible. Simply put, there is no avenue for a private dental office to bill to Medicare. With this in mind, it is important to budget for dental procedures to supplement your existing health coverage.
Another important distinction to make is the difference between Medicare and Medicaid. While Medicare is a service for the elderly, Medicaid aims to assist low income families and individuals. The California branch of Medicaid is Medi-cal, which contains a dental component known as Denti-cal. At this time, our office does not accept Denti-cal. However, many dental schools and community clinics specialize in utilizing and billing this service.
If you would like to know more about dental insurance, coverage and other services, please contact our office. We are always happy to help you better understand your insurance plan and if it can be utilized at our office!