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Just like you, I'm looking forward to having dental and vision benefits next year through the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program. I've been busy analyzing the new federal dental plans to see which one will be best for my family. I thought you might benefit from taking an inside look at the method I'm using, since you're probably also wondering which dental plan will be best for you.

The Basics

I started with some simple questions about the various plan choices:

• What does it cost?
• What is the maximum benefit?
• What are the deductibles and co-pays?
• Can I use my own dentist?
• What about the coverage I already have through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program?

Then I made a list of some of my family's needs and concerns:

• Four eligible family members (our oldest son will drop off next year when he turns 22).
• We want to keep going to the dentist we've used for 25 years, and he doesn't participate in any dental plan.
• Dental checkups and cleanings twice per year.
• X-rays once per year.
• The kids need occasional fillings, but they're past orthodontics needs.
• My husband and I are getting into the age group where crowns and root canals are more common.

Comparing the Plans

After listing my questions and concerns, I headed over to the Office of Personnel Management's dental plan site to do some research. Its handy comparison chart helped me start narrowing my decision.

Our FEHBP plan will be our primary payer for dental services, and then the dental coverage will pay. Most FEHBP plans do not provide much in the way of dental coverage.

I had to start by eliminating plans that wouldn't cover our dentist and those that weren't available in our area. I liked the high $3,000 annual maximum benefit of MetLife High Option. That would come in handy for those crowns and root canals. I also liked GEHA High Option's low 20 percent co-pay on intermediate services (which include the following: restorative procedures such as fillings, prefabricated stainless-steel crowns, periodontal scaling, tooth extractions and denture adjustments).

To see exactly what services we might need to use, I reviewed our dental bills for this year. I was surprised to see that our total expenses added up to $3,403. All of our services were minor and intermediate. Two family members had several fillings. Our son had his four wisdom teeth removed. We all had X-rays, two cleanings and two dental exams.

Our current FEHBP plan paid $360 for the services. The rest was paid out of our flexible health care savings account. After analyzing each expense, I figure that the most one of the new dental plans might have paid was around $2,000. In reality, the plans probably would pay less than my estimate, since going out of network will limit the reimbursement to the usual "customary and reasonable" charges.

The annual cost for the MetLife Dental plan is $1,226.68. Employees (but not retirees) have the advantage of not paying taxes on the income used to cover these premiums, so net cost is more like $850. Since it's still early in the open season, I will continue to compare the MetLife high option with the GEHA and Aetna high-option plans. Then I'll make my decision by Dec. 11.

Your Choice

Now it's your turn.

• Step one: What are your needs?
• Step two: What are your questions?
• Step three: Get the answers.
• Step four: Choose a plan and sign up at Benefeds.com, or call: 1-877-888-FEDS. Do not try to enroll using an FEHBP enrollment form, or through your agency's electronic system. It won't work.
• Step five: Adjust your Flexible Spending Account since you will have lower out-of-pocket dental expenses next year.

For more information, listen to the "For Your Benefit" program on Federal News Radio Saturday, Nov. 18 at 10 a.m. EST (or anytime after that; the show will be archived on the Web site). Our guest will be Walton Francis, author of Checkbook's Guide to Federal Health Plans. Walt will share his views on the new federal dental and vision plans.

Tammy Flanagan is the senior benefits director for the National Institute of Transition Planning Inc., which conducts federal retirement planning workshops and seminars. She has spent 25 years helping federal employees take charge of their retirement by understanding their benefits.

COMMENTS

• I am retired from puget sound naval shipyard and I am looking at dental insurance. I have blue cross blue shield medical and I am interested if a dental plan should be added. I have a lot of plack and I usually get my teeth cleaned 3to 4 times a year, I also have a daughter I am keeping on my coverage until she is 22 years old, which is only another 13mos. I would be interested in any input you have on the type of coverage and the amount it will cost me. Gordon M. Squire Posted November 5, 2007 10:37 PM
• Great article, but a little too late for those having dilemma on what insurance they want to take. Thank you Ms. Flanagan. I always read your articles and appreciate your views, opinions, and information you provide to readers. Vilma Meriwether Posted December 15, 2006 10:39 AM
• Tammy, thank you for pointing out that retirees’ income from pensions is not subject to pretax deductions for medical and dental coverage. Please everyone write your congressman and every other congressman and have them adjust this ridiculous omission. Writing your congressman is easy because they all have e-mail and Web sites you can go to write them. We need a big flow on this topic and should demand they make health and dental premiums and flexible health savings available to the most needy in our society -- our retirees! In reality they should make all pension and Social Security payments tax free but at least we should try for a deduction for health care! Taxpayer Posted December 8, 2006 8:27 AM