Why it might be a good idea to bundle vision and dental plans
Combining these 2 types of insurance may come with a cost savings — and may keep people healthier. Find out how.
A lot of things pair well together: peanut butter and jelly, ketchup and mustard, doughnuts and coffee. The same may be true of vision and dental insurance too.
It shouldn’t come as that big of a surprise that supplemental dental and vision insurance may belong together. (A supplemental insurance plan is one a person pays for in addition to their regular health insurance.) After all, being healthy means keeping one’s eyes and teeth in good shape too. So, when shopping for health insurance plans, consider adding dental and vision together for a package deal.
A dental and vision bundle may make a lot of sense for certain people. This could include people on Medicare, those who don’t get vision or dental benefits through their employer, people between jobs or those whose current coverage may have gaps to fill.
Read on for reasons why vision and dental insurance may pair well together — and help round out health insurance coverage.
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Reason #1: Cost savings may be available.
There are lots of things that can result in a discount when bought as a package, from weekend getaways to buy-1-get-1 deals. It may be a similar situation with certain types of health insurance, depending on where a person lives.
Shopping for stand-alone vision and dental plans may not give people the chance to get a lower rate. That’s where buying them in a bundle may be better.
Before people decide though, it may make sense to compare the cost of each plan on its own against the bundled option. That way, people can see what fits in terms of coverage and budget needs. Fortunately, UnitedHealthcare provides high-quality dental and vision plans, so people can save on cost while still accessing good care.
Reason #2: Waiting periods may be eliminated.
There’s no good time for any type of dental or vision emergency to happen. That might be a chipped tooth or blurry vision. But it’s especially worrisome when some individual insurance plans may require a waiting period before coverage can begin.
One great thing about bundled plans may be that benefits could start soon after signing up. That’s a huge bonus when someone needs to seek treatment, access glasses or contacts benefits, or schedule a preventive care appointment.
That way, if a person does experience blurry vision or chip a tooth, they’ll be able to get in front of the right provider right away.
Reason #3: Preventive care may be more accessible.
Just as people may not want to wait to receive treatment, people may not want to have to put off getting an eye exam or dental cleaning for 6 or 12 months just because they recently signed up for a plan.
With a bundled plan, there may be no need to do that because people on the plan may access these preventive benefits right away. What’s more, with preventive care there are also no deductibles (that’s how much someone has to pay before their insurance pays the rest).
This may remove another barrier to making appointments for services that keep eyes and teeth healthy over the long haul. And this may come with huge health perks over time. Preventive care may:
- Decrease overall health care spending1
- Help decrease the risk of diseases, such as diabetes or glaucoma
- Identify health problems at an earlier, more treatable stage
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Reason #4: Maximum age limits may not be required.
Just half of older adults saw a dentist in the past year, according to recent data.2 That represents a huge gap in necessary care, as teeth and gum problems worsen with age.3
When it comes to eye health, more than one-quarter of adults over the age of 71 experience vision loss.4 The reason? The risk of sight-stealing eye diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration, cataracts and glaucoma, may also rise with age.5
It’s important to keep the teeth and eyes healthy throughout life. But for older adults, it’s critical to keep up with preventive care and treatment, because Original Medicare typically doesn’t provide dental or vision benefits. That’s why a bundled vision and dental plan may be helpful, since there may be no age limits set to receive insurance.
Reason #5: Bonus benefits may be offered.
For people who might already be on a Medicare plan, it’s worth knowing that there may be a variety of bonus benefit options to choose from. While Medicare Parts A and B typically don’t include dental and vision services, a Medicare Advantage plan, also called Medicare Part C, may come bundled with the following benefits:6
- Dental and vision
- Discounted gym memberships7
- Hearing
- Prescription drugs
Bundling everything together may net some really great deals that may even motivate someone to take charge of their health.
Of course, all of this may depend on the plan chosen. So it’s a good idea for people to research what may be available in their area to ensure they make the coverage choice that’s best for them and their families.
People can consider reaching out to a licensed insurance agent too. They may be able to evaluate a person’s needs, answer their questions and provide guidance on the many options available to them, including bundled vision and dental insurance.
The key is for people to do the research first, then take steps to protect their vision and overall health.
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Sources:
- Does preventive dental care reduce nonpreventive dental visits and expenditures among Medicaid-enrolled adults? Health Services Research, December 2022.
- National trends in dental care use, dental insurance coverage, and cost benefits American Dental Association, November 2023.
- Aging changes in teeth and gums National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus, last reviewed April 2022.
- Population prevalence of vision impairment in U.S. adults 71 years and older JAMA Ophthalmology, January 2023.
- Vision and aging at a glance National Eye Institute, last updated July 2023.
- Parts of Medicare Medicare.gov.
- How to get dental and vision coverage when you have Medicare UnitedHealthcare.
