How the Plan Works | Benefit Schedules | Eligibility and Enrollment

Individual and Family Dental PPO Plan Coverage
UNICARE Health Insurance Company of the Midwest (referenced hereafter as UNICARE) offers the Individual and Family Dental PPO Plan to help keep your teeth healthy and your smile bright. The UNICARE Individual and Family Dental PPO Plan gives you the option of going to any dentist you choose. Hundreds of dedicated independent professionals have contracted with UNICARE to provide a wide range of dental services such as routine check-ups, cleanings, fillings, crowns and dental surgery.

The plan was designed with two goals in mind. The first and foremost is to promote good dental hygiene and preventive care, important elements in a total health care package. The second goal is to provide you with the dental care you need in a convenient, cost-conscious manner, thus providing many dental services at reduced costs.

The plan features low-cost preventive and diagnostic care, basic dental care, and a benefit schedule that can help you offset the high cost of major dental care. Please read the following information for details about how the plan works, benefit information and exclusions and limitations that apply. The information in this brochure is a brief summary of the plan. Please refer to the Certificate of Coverage for more details including benefits, limitations and exclusions.

How the Individual and Family Dental Plan Works
A large number of independently contracted dentists in Illinois have agreed to provide services at contracted rates to UNICARE plan members.

When you choose an independent contracting dentist, you will receive care at negotiated discounted rates—what we term "The UNICARE Advantage." Should you choose a noncontracting dentist, the plan still provides benefits, but your out-of-pocket expense may be greater, as the negotiated fees don’t apply to noncontracting dentists. You are responsible for any charges in excess of the stated benefit for both contracting and noncontracting dentists.

Your current dentist may be an independent contracting dentist. Before you choose a dentist, be sure to check the Provider Finder on this site or call UNICARE Dental Services at 1-888-209-7852. It could save you money.

The plan lets you know up front in flat dollar amounts how much the plan pays for covered services. This means that you are able to calculate how much you will have to pay once you have determined your dentist’s fee for the specific procedure(s) listed.

The following is an EXAMPLE of how negotiated fees may save you costs.  Negotiated fees may vary among preferred dentists.

* This assumes any deductible has been met and you have not reached your annual maximum.

Calendar Year Deductible: You are responsible for a yearly $50 per person deductible, with a maximum of three deductibles ($150) per family, before your benefits for covered services are available. The calendar year deductible is waived for preventive and diagnostic services when rendered by a contracting dentist.

Calendar Year Maximum Benefit: All dental benefits are limited to a maximum $1,000 payment by UNICARE for expenses incurred by each enrolled member during a calendar year.

Waiting Periods: Preventive and diagnostic care begins upon approval of your application. Coverage for basic care begins after six (6) continuous months and for major care after twelve (12) continuous months of coverage.

Customer Service: UNICARE’s professional dedicated enrollment units are available to assist you and to answer any questions you may have about your plan. The toll-free number is listed on the dental plan identification card you will receive once your enrollment is approved.

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Benefit Schedules
Coverage is provided ONLY for the services stated in the following schedules. To use these schedules, check your dentist’s fee and then determine how much the plan pays. You can then easily calculate what you will pay for a specific service after your deductible has been met. The plan pays either the specified amount, or the actual amount charged by your dentist, whichever is lower. You are responsible for any charges in excess of the stated benefit for both contracting and noncontracting dentists.

Preventive & Diagnostic Care

• Begins upon approval of your application.
• Calendar year deductible of $50 per person, with a maximum of three deductibles ($150) per family, is waived ONLY when preventive and diagnostic care services are rendered by a contracting dentist.
• Two oral examinations and two dental cleanings per member, per year.
• Total benefit for single and bitewing x-rays not to exceed benefit for full mouth—$43.

Notes:

• Adult  - Any person or dependent 19 years or older covered by this policy.
• Child - Any person or dependent 18 years or younger covered by this policy.

Basic Dental Care

• Coverage begins after the plan has been in effect for six continuous months.
• Calendar year deductible of $50 per person, with a maximum of three deductibles ($150) per family, must be satisfied.
• The benefit schedule is the same for both contracting and noncontracting dentists, but you may have to pay a greater share of the costs if you choose a noncontracting dentist.

Major Dental Care

• Coverage begins after the plan has been in effect for twelve continuous months.
• Calendar year deductible of $50 per person, with a maximum of three deductibles ($150) per family, must be satisfied.
• The benefit schedule is the same for both contracting and noncontracting dentists, but you may have to pay a greater share of the costs if you choose a noncontracting dentist.

This is a brief summary of the plan. Please refer to the Certificate of Coverage for more complete details including benefits, limitations and exclusions.

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Eligibility and Enrollment
To be eligible for enrollment, you must be

• A resident of the State of Illinois who properly applies for coverage and is accepted by UNICARE
• A resident of the United States for at least six months, age 64 1/2 or younger
• The applicant’s lawful spouse of the opposite sex, age 64 1/2 or younger
• The applicant’s unmarried child up to age 19
• The applicant’s unmarried child who is a full-time student (12 units per semester), age 19 through 22
• Not enrolled under any other individual or group dental plan
• Unmarried stepchildren who reside with the applicant up to age 19 or if a full-time student (12 units), age 19 through 22

Date Coverage Begins
The effective date of your coverage is printed on your identification card. Your coverage will stay in effect with our consent, on a three-month basis if you have chosen quarterly coverage, or on a monthly basis if you have chosen the monthly checking account deduction program.

Premium Rates
The rates listed are monthly rates. Monthly payment is available only through the monthly checking account deduction program. If you prefer to pay quarterly, multiply the monthly rate by three.

Counties with strong network access:

Counties without strong network access:
A fewer number of independent contracting dentists are available in other areas. UNICARE plan members are entitled to the benefits of the negotiated amounts if they choose one of those independent contracting dentists. Benefits are still available for noncontracting dentists, as specified by the plan. If you would like your dentist to become an independent contracting dentist, please have him or her contact us.

Terms of Coverage
Coverage under this plan remains in force as long as the required premiums are paid on time and as long as the insured remains eligible for coverage. In addition, when an insured becomes ineligible because of divorce or a change in dependent status, coverage ceases. (In the case of divorce and over-age dependents, UNICARE may offer a similar plan.) UNICARE may refuse to renew or may change the premiums of this plan after 30 days written notice to the policyholder. However, UNICARE will not refuse to renew or change the premium schedule for this plan on an individual basis, but only for all policyholders in the same class and covered under the same plan as you.

Other Insurance in This Company
Insurance effective at any one time on the insured under a like plan or plans in this company is limited to the one such plan elected by the insured, his beneficiary or his estate, as the case may be, and the company will return all premiums paid for all other such plans.

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