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Choosing the right dental insurance plan can be a daunting task, especially with numerous providers offering a variety of plans. This article provides an unbiased comparison of dental savings plans and insurance offered by Aetna Dental and Humana, focusing on coverage, costs, and network size. Both providers offer comprehensive dental insurance options, but the best choice is the plan that fits your individual needs and location. This article can help you understand your options.
Overview of Aetna Dental Plans
Aetna Dental offers a broad range of plan types, including PPO (Preferred Provider Organization), HMO (Health Maintenance Organization), and dental savings plans (also known as discount dental plans). These plans cover various dental services:
- Preventive Care: Includes routine check-ups, cleanings, and X-rays.
- Basic Procedures: Covers fillings, simple extractions, and emergency pain relief.
- Major Procedures: Includes root canals, crowns, bridges, and dentures. Some plans may limit coverage for orthodontics.
Coverage varies by plan, check plan details to ensure the procedures you need/anticipate needing are included in the plan you’re considering.
Average costs for an Aetna Dental insurance plan
Sample plan: Aetna Dental® Direct Preferred PPO
- Premiums: Starting at around $25.05 per month.
- Deductibles: $50 per person or $150 per family.
- Coverage: Varies by service, with preventive care covered at 100%, basic procedures at 80%, and major services are covered at 50% with in-network dentist and after deductible.
Annual spending limit: $1,250 per person in-network or $1,000 to $1,250 out of network, depending on state.
Waiting Period: 6 months for basic services; 12 months for major services (waived with prior dental insurance)
Network size: more than 420,000 dentist locations in the U.S,
Average costs for dental savings plans from Aetna Dental
Sample Plan: Aetna Vital Savings℠
- Monthly cost: Starting at $11.07/month.
- Deductibles: No deductible.
- Discounted rates: Average discounts of 15-50%.
Waiting period: No waiting period
Spending limit: No spending limit
Network Size: More than 161,000 dental practices nationwide
Overview of Humana Dental Plans
Humana offers traditional dental insurance as well as a dental savings plan. Coverage for insurance includes:
- Preventive Care: Humana states that its Complete Dental Insurance plan “is designed for people who are looking to maintain their oral health through regular dental exams and cleanings.” The plan covers cleanings, X-rays, and exams at 100% with no waiting period.
- Basic Procedures: Humana Complete Dental Insurance plan covers basic dental services like simple extractions and fillings (limit 1 per tooth, every 2 years, composite covered on front teeth only) at 80% with an in-network dentist (after deductible)
- Major Procedures: Humana Complete Dental Insurance covers many major procedures like root canals, dentures, crowns, onlays and inlays, surgical extractions and deep cleanings. Note that some procedures have limits – such as root canals (limit 1 per lifetime, per tooth), dentures (limit 1 every 5 years), crowns (limit 1 per tooth every 5 years) and more. Major procedures are covered at 50%.
Network Size: There are more than 117,000 dentists and specialists in the Humana Dental PPO network.
Average costs for Humana dental insurance plans
Sample plan: Humana Complete Dental Insurance
- Premiums: Starting at $53.53 for an individual plan.
- Deductibles: $50 per person or $150 per family.
- Co-pays: Vary by service, with preventive care covered at 100%, basic at 80% and restorative at 50%, in network and after deductible.
Waiting Periods: 6 months for basic services; 12 months for major services
Annual spending limit: $1,250 first year; $1,500 second year and beyond (per person).
Network size: There are over more than 117,000 dentists and specialists in the Humana Dental PPO network.
Main differences between dental insurance plans by Aetna and Humana
For the basic sample plans discussed here, the difference is between price, size of network and amount of annual spending limit. Aetna has a bigger network, and a lower monthly cost. Humana has a higher annual spending limit. Neither plan includes orthodontics or dental implants.
Dental Savings Plans: Aetna vs. Humana
Dental savings plans, also known as dental discount plans, are not traditional insurance but rather programs that offer discounted rates on dental services through a network of participating dentists. Both Aetna and Humana offer such plans, providing an alternative to traditional dental insurance for those seeking cost-effective dental care. Here’s a comparison of their dental savings plans:
Aetna Dental Savings Plan
Sample plan: Aetna Vital Savings
Discount Range: Offers savings of 15% to 50% on various dental procedures, including cleanings, crowns, root canals, dentures, orthodontics, and cosmetic services.
Network Size: More than 161,000 dental practice locations nationwide.
No Annual Spending Limits: Dental insurance typically caps spending at $1,000-$1,500 annually.
No Waiting Periods
Orthodontic and cosmetic care is included.
Additional Benefits: Includes vision and hearing care discounts, and virtual dental care for basic procedures.
Cost: $11.07/month
Humana
Sample plan: Humana Dental Access
Discount Range: 20-40%*, in most instances, on services from general dentistry to special procedures.
Network Size: 135,000 dentist and specialist locations across the nation.
No Waiting Periods: Immediate access to discounts without waiting periods.
No Annual Spending Limits: Dental insurance typically caps spending at $1,000-$1,500 annually.
Additional Benefits: None.
Cost: Enrollment is $10.04 per month for individual, billed annually.
Comparison
Discount Range: Aetna offers a broader range of discounts (15% to 50%) compared to Humana (20-40%.)
Network Size: Aetna’s dental savings plan network is larger, with over 285,583 locations nationwide. Humana’s network is 135,000+.
Additional Benefits: Based on the sample plans highlighted here, Aetna provides a wide array of additional discounts, including vision, hearing, and prescription savings. Humana does not. Both Humana and Aetna offer plans with additional benefits if you want to upgrade, such as Aetna Vital Savings℠ Plus ($12.11 per month, includes vision, hearing and prescription discounts) and Humana Dental Access Plus (Also $12.11 per month, includes vision, hearing and prescription discounts)
Cost: Both plans have similar monthly costs.
How to Choose Between Aetna and Humana
When deciding between dental insurance from Aetna or Humana, consider the following factors:
- Network Coverage: Check if your local dentists are part of the provider’s network to ensure convenience and cost savings.
- Coverage Needs: Ensure the plan covers the specific dental procedures you require, including preventive, basic, and major services.
- Cost Considerations: Compare premiums, deductibles, and co-pays to find the most cost-effective option for your budget.
- Plan Availability: Verify that the provider offers plans in your state and that the coverage meets your needs.
Conclusion
For dental insurance, Aetna’s cost and the size of its network is tough to beat. Humana’s limitations on how often you can access specific treatments may be a factor to consider. For dental savings plans, the costs of plans from Aetna and Humana are similar, but Aetna includes savings on vision, hearing and prescriptions along with having a larger network.
When selecting a provider, consider network coverage, coverage needs, cost considerations, and plan availability. Always check the providers’ websites for the most up-to-date information to ensure you find the plan that best suits your dental care requirements.
Disclaimer: Savings may vary by provider, location, and plan. All cost averages obtained from DentalPlans.com procedure search tool, and independent research.
