Ah, braces —the rite of passage that every kid (and some adults) in North Central Washington dreads. If you’re wondering whether dental insurance will help you foot the bill for straightening little Dillan’s teeth, you’re in good company. This question comes up all the time at Wenatchee Insurance, especially when people start tallying up the cost of those shiny metal brackets like they were made of gold.
Orthodontic / Braces Coverage Basics
Dental insurance can cover orthodontics, but it’s not always a guarantee. It’s a bit like assuming all apples in Wenatchee taste the same—they don’t! It is tough to eat a Red Delicious from cold storage. Orthodontic coverage depends on your plan, and most plans that do cover it will only do so for kids under 18. The magical phrase is “Medical Necessity” especially if there is an Apple Health Plan in play.
If your parents couldn’t get you braces when you were a kid then there are a couple of individual unicorn plans available. Suzie and Matt went hunting for plans that could be purchased by the individual for this purpose and they have some restrictions.
How Much Is Covered?
If your plan does cover braces, it typically covers a percentage of the total cost—usually around 50%. So, if little Billy’s braces cost $6,000, your insurance might cover $3,000, leaving you to pay the rest. It’s like getting a discount on a family-sized apple pie at the local bakery—not free, but better than full price.
Example
Let’s take young Emma from Omak, who needed braces but didn’t want to look like she had a mouth full of railroad tracks. Her mom found a dental insurance plan that covered clear aligners instead of traditional braces. Now Emma’s teeth are straightening out just in time for high school, and she can smile confidently in all her Instagram pics—no filters required.
At Wenatchee Insurance we have found that exploring some of your options early can have some of the lowest costs for braces. As we get older, it gets a little tough but not impossible for dental insurance to cover orthodontics as adults.
Topics: health insurance, Dental, Medicare, Implants, Braces, Bridge, Delta, Ameritas, Dentures, Lifewise, Cavity, Suzie, Chelan, Okanogan, Grant, Douglas, 509, Quincy, Cashmere, Entiat,
