When going through enrollment, people often overlook dental and vision insurance. That can be because they’re so bogged down with choosing a health plan and all the other necessities that this coverage doesn’t seem quite as important.
But here’s why dental and vision insurance should be an integral part of your overall benefit plan.
A window to your overall health
For starters, studies are showing a stronger association between poor dental and vision health and more serious health issues. Conditions like diabetes and macular degeneration – both of which can be detected in eye exams – can lead to bigger problems if not caught early. Yikes. And believe it or not, the Oral Cancer Foundation says that oral cancer has a higher death rate than cervical, thyroid or skin cancer. That’s because it’s routinely discovered late in its progression. Double yikes.
According to the Mayo Clinic, regular visits to the dentist and eye doctor can aid in the early detection of several health concerns, like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and brain tumors. If you catch these early enough, you might even have enough time to correct the issue before it develops into more serious health conditions. We’re talking heart disease, stroke or cancer. And early diagnosis of these conditions can make treatment easier and less costly in the long run.
Think of these checkups like a window to your health. It’s obviously not the whole picture, but it can give you glimpses of some much more serious health issues. And if you have the coverage, you’re more likely to get regular check-ups.
Medical plans lack adequate coverage
For many people — even those with good major medical plans through their employer — coverage does not include regular dental and vision exams. While you might think you’re saving money on monthly premiums if you opt-out of coverage, you could have significant financial risk in other ways.
So basically, without preventive dental and vision care, you could be putting yourself in a risky spot for more serious health problems and financial exposure. Regular check-ups are an investment in your overall health and wellbeing. Do yourself a favor and sign up for coverage if you don’t have it already. And, if you do, go ahead and schedule your next regular check-up. You’ll be glad you did.
