Public Employee Press

Plan improves dental coverage for Florida retirees

Starting March 1, dental care will be less costly and more convenient for DC 37 retirees in Florida, thanks to a new panel of dentists who will work with the union’s Health and Security Plan.

Until now, the plan had only a handful of participating providers for retirees in Florida, which left most members there without coverage. The new panel of about 70 dentists throughout Florida will accept the plan’s fee schedule for routine procedures with fixed out-of-pocket co-payments that will not be reimbursable.

“Besides lower costs, our new setup will be more convenient, because panel dentists will submit the claim forms,” said Rosa R. Esperon, administrator of the DC 37 Health and Security Plan.

The DC 37 plan set up the expanded panel with New York-based CPS Dental Inc. The small number of Florida dentists already participating in the union’s plan will now follow the plan’s fee schedule and new fixed co-payments.

The plan has sent an information packet on the new program to the 5,000 union retirees and dependents who live in Florida. The packet contained a list of the panel dentists and the fee schedule, which indicates what the plan covers and the co-pays for specific procedures, ranging from routine cleanings to root canals and gum (periodontal) work.

A simple extraction, for example, will have a $20 co-pay; a surgical extraction, a $50 co-pay; panoramic X-rays, $15; complete upper dentures, $275; and fillings, $10 to $45.

“As workers nationwide confront a relentless attack on their health and pension benefits, we’re proud to improve coverage for our members,” said Stuart Leibowitz, president of the DC 37 Retirees Association.

The association worked with the DC 37 plan to improve the benefit for its members in Florida.
The dental benefit improvement comes about a year after they enhanced the optical benefit there.
Florida retirees with questions about the new panel may call 1-877-323-7738.