Overview of Cigna
Cigna is a global health services provider company formed in 1982 by merging Connecticut General Corporation (CG) and INA Corporation (INA). It is headquartered in Bloomfield, Connecticut, USA, and serves over 170 million customers worldwide. Cigna offers various health plans, such as medical, dental, accident, disability, life insurance, and related products and services. Its various health services include:
- Government health plans.
- Commercial health plans
- Specialty pharmacy services
- Pharmacy benefit management
- Health management services
- Home delivery
- Clinical solutions
Cigna offers its services to individuals, employees, organizations, and groups. Along with its subsidiaries, the company operates in various markets in Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and Africa.
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What is a DPPO (Dental Preferred Provider Organization) plan?
It is the most popular type of dental plan. DPPO plans have yearly deductibles and coinsurance. The dental plan kicks in after you meet your deductible. Next, you must pay your part of the coinsurance up to the maximum yearly limit. You can choose from in-network dentists for your dental visits. It will help you keep your costs low. You can also visit a dentist outside the network. However, the costs will be higher for out-of-network providers.Â
You will receive 100% coverage on in-network preventive dental care, such as routine exams, X-rays, and cleanings. However, you may have to pay a copay and share any care costs beyond preventive care.
What is a DHMO (Dental Health Maintenance Organization) plan?
DHMO plans are more affordable than other dental plans. You will receive 100% coverage on most preventive dental care services, such as routine dental exams, X-rays, and dental cleanings. However, the plan does not include a deductible and a fixed fee for non-preventive dental services.Â
You must select a Cigna dentist near you from the plan's network of providers, as in-network dentists can offer care at lower costs. The cost savings are passed to the patient as part of the coverage. The network of providers could be smaller and more local, and you will only receive coverage on dentist visits within the network. DHMO plans generally do not have a cap on the maximum limit for the covered services.
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What is a catastrophic plan?
A catastrophic plan is a health plan that offers basic coverage required by the ACA and allows three visits to a primary care doctor each year. While monthly premiums are low, the plans have high deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance for most routine services. In a catastrophic plan, you pay most medical expenses, except for preventive care, until you hit your deductible, usually in the thousands.
Understanding coinsurance, copayment, and deductibles
The out-of-pocket amount you are required to pay for covered medical benefits before your insurance coverage becomes effective is known as the deductible. Health insurance plans with lower monthly premiums tend to have costlier deductibles, while those with more expensive premiums usually feature lower deductibles. Additionally, many insurance plans cover certain services, such as routine checkups and disease management programs for chronic conditions, regardless of whether the deductible has been met.
Coinsurance refers to the portion of the cost of covered healthcare services you are responsible for paying after you have met your deductible. This amount is typically a percentage of the service's total cost, with the remaining balance covered by your insurance provider. It's important to note that coinsurance rates can differ significantly depending on whether you choose an in-network or out-of-network provider; in-network services usually have a lower coinsurance rate.
A copayment, commonly known as a copay, is a set fee that you pay when you visit a doctor, refill a prescription, or receive a covered service. Your health insurance plan typically covers the remaining costs. Copayments are generally lower when you use an in-network provider than an out-of-network provider, which means you may save money by choosing in-network services.
To read more about insurance-related terms, visit Zocdoc's Health Insurance 101!
Who is a dentist?
Dentists are certified medical professionals specializing in preventing, managing, and treating various ailments affecting the teeth, mouth, and guns. They can fill cavities, remove or repair damaged teeth, remove decay from teeth, put sealants or fillings, and check the growth of teeth and jawbones. One of the dentist's most crucial responsibilities is promoting good oral hygiene and reducing oral disease risks.Â
Dentists perform dental procedures using modern equipment, such as scalpels, drills, lasers, brushes, X-ray machines, and other medical tools. They also wear protective equipment, such as safety glasses, masks, and gloves, to prevent the spread of germs and bacteria.
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What are the different dental specialties?
The different specialties within dentistry include the following:
- Pediatric dentist or pedodontist: The specialty focuses on primary and comprehensive oral healthcare of infants, children, and adolescents. Pediatric dentists can detect the early signs of tooth decay, falling teeth, crowding or crooked teeth, and other oral disorders in children. They also oversee dental development in children from infancy through their teenage years.
- Oral medicine: The specialty focuses on medically complex patients' oral health care needs. These specialists diagnose, treat, and manage oral and maxillofacial issues arising from patients' ongoing medical treatment.Â
- Orthodontist: Orthodontists diagnose, prevent, manage, and treat malocclusion or crooked teeth. They also deal with skeletal and neuromuscular abnormalities in mature or developing oral structures. Orthodontists use braces, retainers, and other corrective dental appliances to straighten teeth and improve bite.Â
- Oral and maxillofacial pathologist: The specialty combines dentistry and pathology to investigate the causes, effects, and processes of diseases affecting the mouth, face, and jaws.
- Endodontist: Endodontics focuses on issues affecting the soft dental pulp, which consists of nerve tissue and blood vessels inside the tooth. Endodontists perform root canals and endodontic surgery.
- Oral and maxillofacial radiologist: The specialty combines dentistry and radiology to interpret data and images to diagnose and treat disorders affecting the oral and maxillofacial region (mouth, jaws, and face).
- Oral and maxillofacial surgeon: It emphasizes surgical procedures to address defects, injuries, and diseases that impact the aesthetic & functional features of the oral and maxillofacial region's soft and hard tissues. It includes surgery to the mouth, face, and jaw. These specialists work to remove masses, cysts, and tumors present in the jaw area.
- Dental public health: The specialty focuses on preventing and controlling dental diseases and promoting people's dental health through dental care and dental research.
- Prosthodontist: Prosthodontics focuses on diagnosing, treating, and managing deficient or missing teeth and oral and maxillofacial tissues with biocompatible appliances. Prosthodontists work to replace missing teeth and repair natural teeth in patients. They use crowns or dentures as permanent replacements for extracted or missing teeth.
- Dental anesthesiologist: The specialty combines dentistry and anesthesiology to manage anxiety and pain and improve patient safety when performing oral, dental, and maxillofacial surgical or diagnostic procedures.
- Periodontist: Periodontics focuses on diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases affecting the gums and the supporting bone structures of the teeth. Periodontists treat gingivitis and periodontitis (bones and gum disease).
- Orofacial pain: The specialty focuses on diagnosing, treating, and managing various pain disorders affecting the face, mouth, neck, head, and jaws.
Finding the best Cigna dentists near you in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Finding the best Cigna dentist in Philadelphia could be a hassle. Zocdoc simplifies the process and makes life easier by letting you see the ideal in-network dentists through the website or app. You can select the condition or specialty and your location, and a list of doctors will appear. Each dentist on Zocdoc has a unique profile, which includes their educational qualifications, board certifications, clinical interests, expertise, experience, and languages spoken.Â
If you want to find a doctor who accepts your insurance, add your insurance information (your insurance provider and plan) on the Zocdoc search. It will help you see in-network providers who accept your plan. You will see accurate results of in-network dentists in Philadelphia. Check out Zocdoc's patient help center for more information and solutions related to insurance. You can also read out verified patient reviews and user ratings. These resources can help you select the best Cigna dentists near you that fit your unique requirements.Â
Insurance terms can be challenging to understand. People may sometimes require more clarification on how insurance works for video visits. Zocdoc's guide on insurance terminology and how to use insurance for video visits can help clarify their doubts.
Statistics on dental and health insurance coverage in the USA
The data from the National Association of Dental Plans states that, in 2022, almost 88% of Americans had dental insurance coverage. Enrollment in publicly funded dental coverage increased by nearly 22% in 2022. Almost 86% of total commercial dental plan enrollments were into DPPO products. About 61% of all commercial group dental benefits were employee-sponsored, and roughly 39% were voluntary. About 45% of group dental benefits were self-insured.Â
According to the 2023 survey published by the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, about 27% of Americans had no dental insurance. Nearly 34% of adults in rural areas had no dental insurance, higher than those in urban and suburban areas (29% and 24%, respectively).
According to the United States Census Bureau data, in 2022, almost 92.1% of Americans had health insurance. Nearly 65.6% had private health insurance, and 36.1% had public health insurance. Practically 54.5% had employment-based insurance. Almost 18.7% had Medicare, and roughly 18.8% had Medicaid. About 10.8% of working-age adults (19-64) were uninsured.
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Sources
Investopedia
Forbes
Global Data
Cigna[1]
Cigna[2]
WebMD
White Oak Family Dental
National Association of Dental Plans
CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
United States Census Bureau
