Public Employee Press

Health & Security Plan news
Manage your dental benefit

To avoid complications with your dental coverage, you must fill out an American Dental Association claim form when you visit your dentist.

The ADA form requires the signatures of patients and their dentists. Dentists who participate in the DC 37 dental plan and nonparticipating dentists must sign the form.

Before receiving dental treatment, you should verify whether your dentist is a DC 37 "participating dentist."

Participating dentists accept the plan's fee schedule amount as full payment for their services and cannot charge more than the amount in the fee schedule. Periodontists on the DC 37 panel are an exception, as they are allowed to charge members and covered dependents $10 per quadrant for periodontal surgery.

Nonparticipating dentists typically charge more for their services. The plan's reimbursement covers only the fee schedule amount, and members are responsible for paying the difference between the actual charge and the listed amount.

Members should indicate on the ADA form whether the payment should be made to them or their dentist.

Members can call 212-815-1531 to request a copy of the fee schedule and a list of participating dentists.

Update your beneficiary information

Members should periodically review their beneficiary information and inform the DC 37 Health & Security Plan about any changes.

You should update your information if:
• a beneficiary passes away
• a beneficiary changes his or her name after marrying
• a beneficiary changes his or her address, or
• the member marries, has a child or divorces. (Sometimes divorced spouses receive benefits because they were never removed as beneficiaries.)

You may call the plan's Inquiry Unit at 212-815-1531 to request a "Change of Beneficiary Form." The form is also available on the DC 37 website, www.dc37.net, where you can find it by clicking on "Health and Security Benefits" and then "Eligibility and Enrollment Unit."

Be sure to keep your beneficiary information in a safe but accessible place.

Additional benefit information is available at the Inquiry Unit.

— Gregory N. Heires