How Does Cigna Dental Insurance Work?
Cigna dental insurance is designed to assist individuals and families with managing their dental health care costs. It is important for members of Cigna to understand how the Cigna system to ensure they best utilize their insurance plan to cover their needs.
Understanding Your Plan
To understand how Cigna dental insurance work, you first need to determine which Cigna dental plan you are under. Cigna offers a variety of plans, such as preventive, basic, comprehensive, and family. Each plan has different levels of coverage, which will impact what services are or are not covered, the percentage of costs Cigna will pay, and what copayments or deductibles will be your responsibility.
Selecting a Dentist
Cigna offers a network of dental providers, with in-network providers typically offering services at a lower cost. By visiting the Cigna website or contacting their customer service, you can access their database of providers in your area who are in-network. Cigna customers who have this plan are still free to receive care from an out-of-network dentist, but this will likely result in you having higher out-of-pocket expenses.
Scheduling an Appointment
After you have selected your preferred provider, you will be ready to schedule an appointment. When you call the dental office, be sure to inform them that you have Cigna dental insurance. It is a good idea to have your account information on hand for this call, as they may ask for your member ID number, which can be found on your insurance card.
Treatment Plan and Pre-authorization
If you require more comprehensive dental treatment support, your dentist may need to provide Cigna with a treatment plan and request pre-authorization. Once the proposed treatment details have been submitted to Cigna, it will be reviewed to determine if the procedure is covered under your plan. If approved, you should receive confirmation and a breakdown of the costs Cigna will cover. It is important that you have a clear understanding of what your anticipated out-of-pocket costs will be so you can make the necessary financial arrangements.
Copayments and Deductibles
Prior or following your appointment, you may be required to pay a copayment, which is a fixed amount that is required at the time of service. A deductible is the amount of money you need to pay out-of-pocket before your insurance will cover the rest. These details will differ based on which plan you have and the procedures being performed.
Receiving Care
Once your treatment plan is established and your dental procedure is conducted, your dental office should have a streamlined process for billing Cigna directly, which in turn saves you the hassle of handling the claim independently. Once the claim has been submitted, the claim should be processed within a few weeks. Once it is, you will receive an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) statement from Cigna that outlines what services were covered, the amount billed by your dentist, the portion covered by your insurance, and what you owe. Be sure to review this statement to ensure you have been billed accurately. If any discrepancies are noticed, contact your dental office and request that they follow up with Cigna.
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