Delta Dental launches new flexible dual choice programs in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, Texas and Utah

October 16, 2006

Alpharetta, Ga. — Businesses in six states can now turn to Delta Dental Insurance Company for a new flexible arrangement that lets enrollees switch between two different dental programs as often as monthly.

The arrangement, designed for groups headquartered in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, Texas and Utah and with more than 100 enrollees, gives access to either a prepaid-type dental program that combines more generous coverage with a smaller dentist panel, or an open, fee-for-service program that combines a wider dentist selection with more limited coverage. A monthly switching option lets enrollees move from one to the other.

Most group dental benefit programs lock enrollees into a specific program for a minimum one-year period once a program election is made during their company’s designated open enrollment period. By contrast, Delta Dental enrollees with a flexible dual choice arrangement can choose between DeltaCare USA, or one of two fee-for-service Delta Dental programs.

Delta Dental Premier offers a more traditional managed fee-for-service program, while Delta Dental PPO is a preferred provider organization. Delta Dental PPO is offered in all states except Texas, where a dental provider organization is offered in its place. The employer chooses the precise configuration of dental programs and can choose to implement the monthly switching feature between the fee-for-service and prepaid plans instead of the more traditional annual switch arrangement.

“This flexible dual choice option is ideal for many employers because it reduces the administrative work associated with more traditional dual-choice programs,” said Belinda Martinez, Delta Dental’s senior vice president of Sales and Marketing. “The program is administered seamlessly because the premium for both plans is blended together. And, since enrollees can switch programs once a month, they can tailor their dental care to their preferences and needs as they change.”

Delta Dental Insurance Company covers nearly 2 million enrollees in 10 states. It is also part of a larger holding company system – one of the nation’s largest dental benefits administrators – collectively serving more than 21 million enrollees in both commercial and government-sponsored programs.

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