Dr. Murphy offers a 3% courtesy when choosing to pay for your orthodontic treatment in full by cash or check on the day the braces are placed. Another offer to think about is the family courtesy discount when more than one family member is in treatment at the same time. Please inquire for details.
We also offer interest-free, in-house financing which consists of a down payment the day the braces are placed and the remaining amount divided by the estimated months in treatment, payable by check or credit card on the 15th day of each month.
We accept VISA, Mastercard, and Discover credit cards.
Understanding Orthodontic Insurance
Orthodontic insurance is administered differently than medical or dental insurance. To better understand, here are a few key points:
- Orthodontic benefits are separate from your dental benefits.
- A percentage of coverage is applied (usually 50% for 60%)
- Benefit is an individual lifetime maximum. This means, unlike dental benefits which renew annually, orthodontic benefits stop once the lifetime maximum is met.
- Age limit and waiting periods apply.
- An orthodontic claim cannot be sent until braces are placed, appliances inserted or aligners are delivered.
- Claim payments are rarely paid in a lump sum payment, rather, payments will be spread out over the course of the treatment in either monthly, quarterly or yearly installments. Therefore, insurance MUST remain active throughout the course of treatment to receive full benefit.
- Should there be an unpaid insurance balance, the remaining balance due will be transferred to Patient’s balance and become the billing parties responsibility.
- Benefit payments terminate
- When lifetime maximum is met
- Employment/Insurance is terminated
- Age limit is met (ends on birth month)
- Employer changes insurance plan
- Primary and Secondary Insurances: Secondary insurance can be billed once primary insurance has started paying. A coordination of benefits will be handled between the two insurances and does not necessarily mean full benefit payment from the secondary insurance. NOTE: Some exclusions may be present on the policies making it impossible to collect on both. This is called a “non-duplication” rule.
- Work in Process: When sending a claim to a new insurance for existing “in process treatment”, the new insurance will pro-rate the benefit allowed and only pay on treatment that is remaining. NOTE: Not all plans will cover work “in process treatment”.