Dental Coverage for Families in Anne Arundel County
Anne Arundel County combines Maryland's state capital in Annapolis with Fort Meade (home of the NSA) and BWI Airport — military families have Tricare dental, but the county's large civilian contractor and government service workforce often purchases standalone coverage.
For a family, the rules differ for the kids and the parents. Adult dental care isn’t an essential health benefit under the ACA, so a health plan in Maryland doesn’t have to include it. Whatever health plan you pick through Maryland Health Connection, adult dental coverage is a separate decision in Anne Arundel County.
What Family Dental Plans Cover in Anne Arundel County
Under a family dental plan, each person’s claims count against their own deductible until the family cap is reached ($50 per person and $150 per family on SecureDental PLUS), and preventive care generally skips the deductible.
Orthodontia is where family plans differ most. Many exclude braces or cover them only on higher tiers; SecureDental PLUS covers orthodontia only on its Premium tier, at 70% after a 12-month wait, up to $500 a year and $1,500 lifetime.
Enrolling Your Family in Dental Coverage in Maryland
Maryland Health Connection, the state-run exchange in Maryland, sells dental plans alongside its health plans during enrollment periods, and its rules decide whether dental can be added on its own. Outside the Marketplace there is no enrollment window for stand-alone dental, and coverage usually starts the first of the next month. Use the ZIP code form below and Daniel will send you the dental options for your address.
If you already need a crown, the waiting period matters more than the premium. HealthCare.gov notes that separate dental plans can have waiting periods for adults, and SecureDental PLUS, for example, waits 12 months for major care and 1 month for basic care.
A dental plan pays dentists, not emergency rooms. If a tooth infection or a facial injury takes you to an emergency department, that bill goes to your health insurance. Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center is one of the 2 hospitals with emergency services that Medicare lists in Anne Arundel County; check which of them your health plan includes.
A stand-alone dental plan is an excepted benefit: it isn’t minimum essential coverage and doesn’t replace health insurance.
Call (713) 575-9904 and Daniel will send the dental plans sold in Anne Arundel County and check your family’s providers against each network.