24 Jun Can I find a dental plan through the Obamacare marketplace?

Q. My retirement planning is coming along but I have a healthcare question. I’m older than my wife and I will retire one year prior to being Medicare eligible. Her company has a health insurance plan that will cover me, but not a dental plan. How can I find a dental plan on the Obamacare marketplace?
— Planning

A. Congratulations on your path to retirement.

There are a number of dental plans available to individuals who live in New Jersey offering you many alternatives and premium prices.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) website lists five providers with multiple plans and will enable you to compare policy costs and benefits, said Claudia Mott, a certified financial planner with Epona Financial Solutions in Basking Ridge.

She notes that there are plans exclusively designed to provide coverage for children until age 19 that is required under the ACA.

Mott said while the ACA website provides a great deal of information, it is important to reach out to each potential provider or healthcare.gov to confirm premium amounts and coverage specifics.

“You may also want to be sure that your dentist is part of the coverage network, if that is a requirement of the plan,” she said. “Not all plans cover major dental work and those that do tend to be quite a bit more expensive and may have a waiting period before non-preventive services can be performed.”

When deciding whether to choose a dental plan, be sure you have an idea of the services you may need, she said.

For plans that only offer preventive benefits, the out-of-pocket cost for premiums and deductibles could be more than what you would pay for your bi-annual cleanings, she said.

Mott gathered together a list of companies providing individual dental plans to New Jersey residents. It is not always a requirement that you apply through the ACA website, she said.

These plans can be access directly through the provider:
Horizon Blue Cross
Delta Dental
Guardian
Alpha Dental Plans

Two plans, Dentegra and International Health Care Services, must be accessed via healthcare.gov or by calling (800) 318-2596, she said.

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This story was originally published on June 24, 2020.

NJMoneyHelp.com presents certain general financial planning principles and advice, but should never be viewed as a substitute for obtaining advice from a personal professional advisor who understands your unique individual circumstances.