Many do. FEDVIPS will be able to assist.

I use my BCBS Standard for all my Dental needs! It pays up to 11 dollars for a cleaning and a few dollars off fillings, almost nothing else is considered

So we do need to buy dental insurance separately...

"No, actually my question is: can we have one single insurance card for both health plan and dental plan? Under the same insurance company. One single premium payment."

Yes, that can be done. The issue will be whether the dental coverage under the main plan is comprehensive or nominal. If you are not satisfied with the services offered under a single plan, then there are several entirely separate Dental plans which may be better for you - and their premiums are also handled by deduction from your pension, just like your medical plan. Delta Dental, for example, offers a range of plans which might be of interest to you, for around $50/month. Again, the standalone dental plans are available thru FEDVIPS and are deducted from your pension.

Sound like I should enroll in standalone dental plan, and keep it separate from health plan.

What do you mean by "premiums are also handled by deduction from your pension"? Edit: Oh, I am not retiree, I am active employee, so it is deducted from paycheck.

Edited by user Tuesday, July 12, 2022 10:21:46 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Your question is straightforward, but you are not getting the straightforward answer you seek. The answer is: yes, you will probably have to buy a separate FEDVIP dental plan if you need coverage for anything above the very basic stuff that some FEHB medical plans provide. By basic, I mean annual dental exams, prophylaxis (cleaning), basic dental x-rays, and basic fillings and extractions. No FEHB plan covers the expensive stuff like: root canal therapy, bridges, crowns, dentures, implants, gum disease treatments, bone augmentation, or orthodonture. FEDVIP dental plans are separate from FEHB plans. You pay the full premium; there is no government subsidy.

There are some FEHB plans known as high deductible plans. These plans feature HSA’s (health savings accounts) in which the plan gives you a set amount of money each year tax free, to which you can add up to a certain amount of your own money on a tax exempt basis, which can grow tax free and be used for qualified medical/dental expenses (again tax free) at your discretion. You decide if/when to use the HSA funds. [Note: the HSA component of high deductible FEHB plans does not count as “insurance” per se. Which is why I said above that no FEHB plan covers the typically expensive dental procedures. This may sound overly complex, but you will come to understand such finer points when it comes to coordinating benefits between your FEHB and FEDVIP plans.]

Separate and apart from the above are Flexible Spending Accounts, in which you can deposit your own funds on a tax exempt basis into an account and then use it for healthcare expenses in that same year. These are not insurance plans, but a way to use tax savings to lower the actual amount you spend for healthcare that is typically not covered by any FEHB or FEDVIP benefits to which you are entitled. The higher your income, the higher your tax savings.

So, there are three options beyond the basic coverage found in some FEHB plans: FEDVIP plans, then HSA’s within HDHP’s, and finally FSAFEDS. If the latter two options don’t interest you, there is always the FEDVIP option to consider. But keep in mind that the principal benefit of most FEDVIP dental plans is the savings obtained by using a provider that is a member of the network associated with the plan you choose. Never just ask if a provider accepts a given plan. Ask if they are in network. Going out of network may expose you to substantially higher out of pocket expenses because the provider can charge whatever they want and you will be responsible to pay the balance over and above what your plan will pay for those services. That is known as balance billing. Sometimes, it will cost you a bit more. Other times, it can cost you a LOT more.

Hope this helps you in your search. You should read as much as you can about each of these options before making a decision. Good luck.

Edited by user Monday, July 25, 2022 12:13:23 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Added a Note.