Affordable and flexible Dental Blue Plans Available at Multiple Price Points, with Access to one of Wisconsin’s Largest PPO Dental Networks
MILWAUKEE, Aug. 13 /PRNewswire/ — Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Wisconsin is now offering Dental Blue, an innovative PPO product, to Wisconsin businesses with 2 or more employees. With three tiers of provider networks that drive multiple price points, Dental Blue members have the power to choose a dental plan tailored to meet their needs and budgets. The Dental Blue PPO network is one of the largest in Wisconsin, with more than 1,850 provider locations.
With Dental Blue, employers can choose from three networks with varying costs:
* Dental Blue 100, our value network, offers competitive access with the
greatest potential savings. Dental Blue 100 includes more than 429
provider locations in Wisconsin.
* Dental Blue 200, our enhanced network, offers a balance of cost
savings and network size. The Dental Blue 200 network includes more
than 1,823 provider locations in Wisconsin. (Dental Blue 100 dentists
also participate in the Dental Blue 200 network.)
* Dental Blue 300, our largest network, includes more than 1,850 provider
locations in Wisconsin. (Dental Blue 100 and 200 dentists also
participate in the Dental Blue 300 network.)
Specialists, such as periodontists, endodontists and oral surgeons, participate in all three Dental Blue networks. Referrals are not required to visit Dental Blue specialists. Members have the power to visit any dentist or specialists in any of the three networks and still be considered “in-network” and take advantage of Dental Blue’s negotiated fees and protected balanced billing. Members may also visit a non-Dental Blue dentist, but their out-of- pocket costs will likely be higher.
“One of the main reasons why people don’t go to the dentist for routine care is lack of affordable dental insurance,” said Steve Martenet, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Wisconsin. “Dental coverage can play an important role in an individual’s overall health and well being. Dental Blue offers employees affordable and flexible access to dental coverage.” Dental Blue also offers members additional potential savings opportunities:
* Even if members use up their annual maximum benefit, they will be able
to keep on saving by accessing in-network providers to take advantage
of negotiated fees.
* In-network discounts are available for popular services that may not be
covered by the dental plan, such as teeth whitening
According to the University of Southern California School of Dentistry 2006 Dean’s Report, approximately 110 million Americans are without dental insurance. “Businesses are asking how they can make dental coverage available to their employees without breaking the bank,” said Martenet. “Most often, the reason these employers give for not offering dental coverage is cost. Dental Blue’s three networks and multiple price points provide employers with affordable options to offer dental coverage to their employees.”
Dental Blue plans are also designed to help meet the needs of employers who want to reduce the cost of their existing dental plan without reducing coverage. “If your employees want access to a larger network, they can have it, Dental Blue’s broad network access makes it easier for members to continue seeing the dentist they know and trust,” said Derek Bridges, president of Anthem’s dental business.
Anthem and its affiliated companies serve more than 5 million dental members nationwide. For more information, visit www.anthem.com or call (888) 315-2049.
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name used by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin (“BCBSWi”) and Compcare Health Services Insurance Corporation (“Compcare”), independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
In Wisconsin, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield is one of the largest health insurers. BCBSWi and Compcare are subsidiaries of WellPoint, Inc. WellPoint, Inc. is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and serves its members as the Blue Cross licensee for California; the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area), Nevada, New Hampshire, New York (as Blue Cross Blue Shield in 10 New York City metropolitan counties and as Blue Cross or Blue Cross Blue Shield in selected upstate counties only), Ohio, Virginia (excluding the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.), Wisconsin; and through UniCare. Additional information about WellPoint is available at www.wellpoint.com.
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Source: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Wisconsin
