Cigna OralHealth
Cigna has introduced two new options and increased some of the benefits it offers on its group dental insurance policy OralHealth. In fact, Cigna offers two dental plans for employers, with this being the simpler version and DentaCare offering the more traditional list of how much it will pay for each specific treatment listed in a schedule.
Two new benefit levels have been added to Oral Health, taking total options to five. Level 1 is a new low cost option for members who use an NHS dentist. Level 4 offers benefits between what are now levels three and five.
Clients can choose 100% or 75% coverage of preventative treatment costs up to an annual limit of between £150 and £350 depending on plan level, with the NHS orientated Level 1 plan always paying 100% of NHS charges. All plan levels except Level 1, which pays 100% of NHS costs, cover 80% of minor and major treatment costs up to between £250 and £2,000 a year depending on plan level. All levels of the plan cover up to four dental emergencies a year (max £200 each, total £800); accidental damage up to £10,000; oral cancer treatment (lifetime limit now increased to £15,000), and hospital cash (up to 20 nights at £50 a night). Another new benefit is that all levels (except Level 1) also now cover orthodontic treatment for under 18s, after an initial six month waiting period. This has a maximum annual benefit of £325 to £500, depending on plan level.
The plan can be part of a flexible benefits (flex) plan. The target audience for that has been reduced from 400 to just 100 employees.
Exclusions are fairly standard but include surgical implants (although individuals can buy separate surgical implant insurance from Cigna), experimental treatment and loss of dental appliances.
Comment: Cigna has updated its OralHealth Plan (it also offers a more comprehensive and complex DentaCare plan) to add two new benefit levels whilst, at the same time, it has also increased some benefits. Both moves should be popular, extending choice and improving the package overall.
OralHealth also works well as part of a flex scheme, and Cigna has brought down the target market minimum size too. It adds up to a useful package of changes.
The dental market looks to be growing again so we can expect competition continue to expand too.
Plus points: Simple group dental cover; Two new levels and enhancement to some existing benefits; Plan lends itself well to flex scheme requirements.
Not so plus points: Some exclusions; Will firms be confused by having two Cigna dental plan options, especially as both offer options to tailor cover to needs and budgets?
Website: http://www.cigna.co.uk.
Rating (max 10): Innovation: 7. Overall: 8. Gold
Tags: Cigna; dental.