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Anthem BCBS
Our Take
Anthem’s dental insurance plans offer fast, comprehensive access to coverage with shorter waiting periods and better premiums than many of its competitors. However, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield only operates in 14 states and the annual maximum coverage cap for its sample plan is a little less than some companies on our 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:best dental insurers list.
Still, Anthem was our overall top pick for the best dental insurance compan🐭ies with no waiting peri♈od and appeared on our list of the 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:best dental insur🐬ance companies for braces.
Quick access to benefits
High coverage percentages for major care
Plans with orthodontic coverage
Decent premium for sample plan
Limited state availability
Lower annual maximum coverage l𓆉imit for sample plan than some com𒆙petitors
Difficult to get details
Anthem is a subsidiary of Elevance Health, one of the U.S.’s largest health insurers for medical membership. As of December 2023, Elevance served around 47 million medical members and 6,820 dental plan members. In the 14 states ꦚwhere it op𒐪erates, Anthem is part of the Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Association.
- Year Founded: 1946
- Headquarters: Indianapolis
- Kinds of Dental Policies: HMO, PPO
- Customer Service Contact Info: 1-833-959-1551
- Official Website:
- Availability 14 states
- Deductible for Sample Plan $50
- Annual Maximum Benefit for Sample Plan $1,000
Pros Explained
- Quick access to benefits: You can access basic care after a three-month waiting period, and major care after only a six-month 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:waiting period. These waits are much shorter than the more standard six months for basic dental and 12 months for major dental procedures, respectively.
- High coverage percentages for major care: Major care includes expensive procedures, and Anthem covers major care at 50% after you hit your deductible, a higher percentage than many competitors.
- Plans with orthodontic coverage: Anthem sells 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:PPO insurance plans providing child orthodontic coverage, and HMO plans with child and adult orthodontic coverage.
- Decent premium for sample plan: The average dental insurance premium is $35.98 per month for Anthem’s sample plan in the two ZIP codes we studied. Anthem doesn’t have the cheapest premiums, but the cost is better than many other insurers we reviewed.
Cons Explained
- Limited state availability: Anthem only operates in 14 states, and some plans may only be available in some locations within those states.
- Lower annual maximum coverage limit for sample plan than some competitors: Anthem’s Essential Choice PPO Silver caps the amount it will pay for your care in one year at $1,000, which is lower than some of the highest-rated companies we evaluated.
- Difficult to get details: While some dental insurance competitors offer detailed policy documents online so you can see exactly what you’re buying before you pay your first premium, Anthem doesn’t do so.
Types of Dental Insurance Offered by Anthem
Anthem sells dental insurance in Califဣornia, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, New Hampshire, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Anthem PPOs
In most states, Anthem offers five PPO Essential Choice dental insur🍌ance policies. Each plan differs regarding the covered services, coinsurances, waiting periods, and annual maximum benefits.
Similar to 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Affordable Care Act (ACA🅰)-type plans, Anthem categorizes P♒POs coverages by using the names of various metal levels in most states.
- Bronze: Preventive only
- Silver: Preventive, basic, and major coverage
- Gold: Similar to Silver, but with higher annual max and coverage for basic
- Platinum: Similar to Gold coverage, but includes orthodontia for children
- Incentive: Similar to Platinum, but with very high coverage percentages, no waiting periods, and lower coinsurance in years two and three to reward preventive care
Depending on where you live, plans may also be known by other names, such as B🌊asic, Select,♎ Classic, and Premier.
Anthem HMOs
Anthem also sells a dental managed-care plan, but it’s not as widely available. Depending on your state, this dental 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:health maintenance organization (DHMO or HMO) may be call༒ed De꧋ntal Net 3000D or Enhanced Care Plus Option D.
This plan features unlimited cleanings, no waiting periods for any coverage level, a☂nd no dedu🦄ctible for preventive and diagnostic services. The HMO plan also covers orthodontia for children and adults.
As with most health maintenance organizations, you must choose an in-network dentist to take advantage of the flat, affordable copays. Some 𒊎cities and counties will have more in-network providers than others.
Other Types of Insurance Offered by Anthem
🦩Anthem frequently allows you to bundle stand-alone dental insurance with vision coverage. In addition to individual and family dental insurance plans, Anthem also offers the followinꦰg types of insurance:
- Group and individual health insurance
- 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Short-term health insurance
- 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Medicare Supplement insurance
- Medicaid
- Disability insurance
- 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Travel insurance
- Supplemental insurance
Anthem Dental Plans
Here’s how Anthem’s more broadly based PPO-based dental plans stack up.
Plan Name | Preventive Care: Plan Pays | Basic Care: Plan Pays | Major Care: Plan Pays | Deductible | Annual Max. Benefit |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Essential Choice Bronze | 100% | 50% after a three-month waiting period | Not covered | $50 | $1,000 |
Essential Choice Silver | 100% | 50% after a three-month waiting period | 50% after a six-month waiting period | $50 | $1,000 |
Essential Choice Gold | 100% | 80% after a three-month waiting period | 50% after a six-month waiting period | $50 | $1,500 |
Essential Choice Platinum | 100% | 80% after a three-month waiting period | 50% after a six-month waiting period | $50 | $2,000 |
Essential Choice Incentive | 100% | 60% with no waiting period; that increases to 80% by year three | 30% with no waiting period; increases to 50% by year three | $50 | $2,500 |
How Much Does Anthem Dental Insurance Cost?
Anthem’s dental insurance premiums vary by state. For the Essential Choice PPO Silver plan, premiums range from $27.45 to $39.75 per month. Plans that provide more coverage and higher annual maximums have more expensive rates. The 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:deductible for al🎉l Anthem PPO dental ℱplans is $50 per person.
Below, you can see the monthly premium for Anthem’s꧃ Essential Choice PPO Silver plan in the 10 most popula🔯ted states where the company operates:
Cost of Anthem Essential Choice PPO Silver Plan in 10 States | |
---|---|
State | Monthly Premium |
California (ZIP code 90011) | $39.75 |
New York (10001) | $33.75 |
Ohio (43123) | $29.95 |
Georgia (30349) | $32.20 |
Virginia (22035) | $32.45 |
Indiana (46229) | $31.95 |
Missouri (63118) | $32.50 |
Wisconsin (53215) | $37.15 |
Colorado (80916) | $29.60 |
Kentucky (40160) | $27.45 |
How Doesꦬ Anthem Compare to Other Dental Insurance Companies?
Anthem’s sample dental insurance plan is reasonably priced compared to some other insurers. For example, Delta Dental has a higher premium for its lowest-cost PPO covering preventive, basic, and major dental care. Physicians Mutual’s premium is lower, but it only covers care at a lower percentage (25% versus Anthem’s 50%), so you could be responsible for more out-of-poc♈ket costs.
In terms of annual maximum benefits, Anthem’s plan has a lower cap than Delta Dental’s and Physicia🦹ns Mutual’s.
Company | Avg. Premium (Sample Plan) | Avg. Deductible (Sample Plan) | Avg. Annual Max Benefit (Sample Plan) |
---|---|---|---|
Anthem | $35.98 | $50 | $1,000 |
Delta Dental | $53.58 | $50 | $2,000 |
Physicians Mutual | $30.50 | $0 | Unlimited |
Customer Service
To get in touch with an Anthem dental insurance agent, call 1-833-959-1551 during business hours. You can also find state-specific contact information by and selecting your state. Anthem members can chat with a live agent through the online portal.
Medium | Contact Info | Availability |
---|---|---|
Phone | 1-833-959-1551 | 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET |
Customer Satisfaction
Anthem has good customer satisfaction overall. The company’s three-year average complaint index from the 澳洲幸运5开奖号码🍌历史查询:National Association of 🌠Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) indicated the insurer had slightly fewer complaints than ⛦expected for i🌟ts size.
The Bottom Line
Anthem can be a good dental insurance provider if you want to use your dental benefits soon after you enroll. You can access basic care after a three-month waiting period and pay just 50% of the costs. The 50% coverage is fairly standard, but the three-month wait is shorter than many other plans. Major care is covered at 50%ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ after only six 🌳months. Other insurers we reviewed offer less coverage for major care, and many have a longer waiting period (usually 12 months).
Buﷺt because Anthem operates only in 14 states, it’s not an option for e꧟veryone shopping for dental insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How Does Dental Insurance Work?
澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Dental insurance helps pay for procedures your plan describes as “covered.” That coverage typically includes annual cleanings and diagnostic exams.🌜 Dental insurance may cover also cover more complex care such as fillings, X-rays, crowns, root canals, and simple extractions. Most plans have cost-sharing, where your plan pays for a percentage of your treatment, and you pay the rest out of pocket. Many plans also require a deductible, which you must meet before your plan will start covering your dental care.
How Do You Apply for Anthem Dental Insurance?
You can apply for an Anthem dental insurance plan online. Visit the website and enter your ZIP code to see dental insurance p🙈lans in your area. Once you select a p⭕lan, you can purchase coverage online. You can also apply for dental insurance by calling an Anthem agent at 1-833-959-1551.
Who Accepts Anthem Dental Insurance?
There are 136,000 dental providers in Anthem’s dental insurance network, but with the PPO plans, you can see any dentist you choose—in most cases, the in-network and out-of-network amounts are reimbursed at the same rate. However, Anthem’s network is smaller than average compared to some of the largest 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:dental insurance companies.
Is Dental Insurance From Anthem Worth It?
Anthem’s dental insurance can be worth it if you need major dental care, but perhaps not if yo🔥u mostly need preventive care. The average annual premium for Anthem’s sample plan is $431.64 per year. This is more than you’d likely spend for two cleanings per year, even if you also had X-rays done.
But if you needed a porcelain crown, for instance, these costs could run between $1,213 and $2,200. Anthem’s sample plan covers 50% of major care after you pay a $50 deductible. Your plan could cover roughly $606 to $1100 for a crown, although these amounts could vary. In this case, Anthem’s dental insurance would save y💙ou money. If you use the insurance for additional procedures, you could save 👍even more.
How Do You Cancel Anthem Dental Insurance?
To cancel an Anthem dental insurance plan, you must contact an agent or submit your request to cancel in writing. Once your policy is canceled, you will be refunded for any unused premiums. You won’t be able to purchaꦺse a new Anthem dental insurance plan for at least 24 months.
How We Chose t꧋he Best Dental Insurance Companies
To determine which dental insurance companies to review, we tapped into both market data and public sentiment. We used business and industry databases to get insights into market share, and user-gen𒐪erated data from Google to understand trends and public interest in stand-alone dental plans. This analysis narrowed our focus to 17 key companies offering dental coverage to individuals, regardless of whether their health insurance was purchased through state or federal marketplaces or independently.
We collected data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), a standard-setting and regulatory support organization that maintains a database of customer complaints. W♈e also gathered data directly from companies via websites, media contacts, and existing partnerships. The data collection process took place between Oct. 9, 2023, and Dec. 23, 2023.
We then developed a quantitativ🦹e model that scored each dental insurance provider based on 35 criteria that fall into five major categories and are crucial in evaluating the company’s offerings and benefits. We weighted🥂 the five categories as follows for this article:
- State Availability: 5%
- Customer Satisfaction: 15%
- Cost: 36%
- Coverage: 42%
- Customer Service: 2%
To learn more about our process for finding the best dental insurance companies, read our 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:full methodology.
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