As and when an individual start aging, there are rising needs for health care. With more than 25% of expenses moving towards dental services, it is of utmost importance to take dental care more seriously. Some of the recent reports show that many seniors avoid dental care due to heavy expenses that come with it. Firstly, it is important to go for regular dental visits in order to be sure that you do not fall prey to any dental disease.
It is always advisable that dental maintenance should be at par with other health checkups. Secondly, senior citizens require special dental care as they are susceptible to dry mouth, root decay, thrush which is the overgrowth of fungus in the mouth, loss of the structure of the teeth caused by mechanical forces, etc. These specific dental problems can lead to further health issues that affect the ability of a senior citizen to sustain a healthy lifestyle. The dental problems also adversely affect the ability to chew or eat, pain in the gums, cavities and tooth decay. Therefore, it is must to have a good quality and comprehensive dental insurance for senior citizens.
It is interesting to know that dental insurance is not typically a part of most of the medical policies. You can choose a separate dental plan to cover your dental expenses but you might not get one included in your health insurance cover.
Types of dental plans for seniors
Out of all, there are two major types of dental plans that can be opted by seniors. These are:
Indemnity plans
Indemnity plans have a pool of providers and you can choose from a list of dentists to go to. Here, the dental plan acts as a reimbursement plan where the patient has to pay the entire amount of the dental treatment or services. This amount gets reimbursed once you file a claim for the covered dental process.
Managed-care plans
These plans are a part of health insurance where the in-network providers help you with dental services at reduced costs. The in-network providers also help in sorting out necessary paperwork on your behalf.
There are a few dental plans that enroll you into your spouse’s dental plan. If this is the case with you as well, then see if you are eligible to do so.
You can also research on the internet and look for an alternative to dental plans for seniors such as dental saving plan, which is also called a discount dental and is not an insurance plan. These plans are pre-negotiated rate plan with dentists, which act as a substitute to costlier plans.
There are companies that work on collecting and maintaining credit information of consumers. These are known as credit reporting agencies (CRAs). There are three such major CRAs in the country, namely Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Apart from these, there are other smaller-scale agencies too that specialize at the job. If you’re worried about “where to get my credit score?,” the larger CRAs are the most reliable bets.
These major CRAs obtain information from companies that you hold business and transactions with. People or companies that lend you money regularly report to these CRAs on your repaying status. There is also detailed information on the amount you are indebted and whether you have ever defaulted on your payments. Aside from the reports obtained from lenders, these companies also tally your general records based on certain other aspects. Some of these aspects are your public records from the local and state judiciary. These include your tax records and bankruptcy information. This information makes up an important chunk of your credit score and its report.
Equifax
Present in 24 countries, Equifax is an agency that offers consumers protection against identity theft and credit fraudulence. They also sell credit reports and credit monitoring assistance to businesses.
Experian
Experian started off in London and is now a trusted agency in 39 different countries. It provides you with a credit score, credit report, and even credit tracker on subscription. The agency uses FICO 8 system of credit score calculation. Experian was a part of Forbes’ “World’s Most Innovative Companies” in 2018.
TransUnion
Based across 30 countries with a database of over 1 billion consumers, TransUnion is another CRA giant. The agency, like the other ones, will provide you with your credit score and your credit reports. In case you decide to freeze your TransUnion credit report, it will also go the extra mile to notify Equifax and Experian, which frankly is a big help especially in case of identity theft and credit fraud.
So, the next time you are sat wondering “where to get my credit score?,” think of these three giants that provide you with an annual credit score and credit report for free once each year. However, if you are looking for more frequent updates, you can subscribe to their services and receive your monthly updates.
Did you know that you have more than a single credit score? Agencies calculate your credit score based on the data in your credit reports. If you are wondering, “where to get my credit score?,” there are three main credit reporting agencies. These can have different credit scores for you if your information on each of their credit reports is different. Also, these agencies charge a fee to reveal your credit score.
Recently, it has become easier to track and get hold of your credit score without paying any fees. You can get it from your credit card company, your loan provider, and even from a non-profit counselor. Here are a few tips you can use to check your score.