Find out what your dental care will cost you..

Empire BlueCross BlueShield Launches Online Cost Estimator for Dental Policyholders

Online tools shed light on the cost of dental services, helps consumers make better informed health care decisions

A recent Empire BlueCross BlueShield survey* found many people knowingly neglect their dental health. Only half of those surveyed (50 percent) visit their dentist as often as recommended.

A fear of surprise costs might be the reason – four in ten (40 percent) did not know that health insurance would cover preventive visits, and many worry that they are going to get an unexpected bill at the end of their appointment or that the dentist will find an expensive problem.

In response to these consumer concerns, for the first time ever, Empire healthcare plan customers with a dental plan can get information about costs before they ever walk into the dentist’s office.

Empire BlueCross BlueShield has launched Dental Care Cost Estimator, a web-based tool that provides estimates for common dental procedures and treatments, and Dental Health Assessment, which helps members better understand their oral health and predict their risk of developing tooth decay, gum disease, tooth wear and oral cancer.

“At Empire, we know consumers are concerned about their dental health and what it will cost, which is why we’ve created Dental Care Cost Estimator and Dental Health Assessment, to go along with one of the largest dental networks in the nation,” said Mike Malouf, president of Empire’s dental business. “Those who use our networks save, on average, 30-32 percent on their covered dental services. And now for the first time, members can go to www.empireblue.com to estimate their costs in advance and comparison shop to find the best value. We are simplifying health care so that our healthplan members can focus on their health.”

Empire is making it easier for consumers to stay on top of their health. Ninety percent of diseases show signs and symptoms in the mouth (Source: Academy of General Dentistry Know Your Teeth.com, January 2012). Getting a regular checkup might reveal an underlying health problem that can be more easily treated because of early detection.

Empire Whole Health ConnectionSM connects the dots between oral health and overall health and increases communication between the Empire member’s dentist and other doctors. For example, a dental checkup may reveal signs of a serious disease such as diabetes. This information is accessible by the member’s other doctors. Only Empire offers this integrated approach which results in better, more comprehensive care for our healthcare plan members with dental coverage.

More information on dental insurance and integrated benefits is available at www.empireblue.com.

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*Findings of a national online omnibus survey using the field services of Russell Research, from December 11-14, 2015. The margin of error for the sample of 1,050 is +/- 3.1 % at the 95% confidence level. This means that if we were to replicate the study, we would expect to get the same results (within 3.1 percentage points) 95 times out of 100.