Ameritas touts new insurance plans

"Keep it simple" hasn't exactly been the motto of your average dental insurance company, but that's exactly what Ameritas is promising with a new line of dental plans.

Instead of basing reimbursement on the type of dental service a patient uses, the new plans, which Ameritas calls $ensible Choice, will be based on the dollar amount the patient spends.

And the company says its new plan offers cost savings for employers or members. Employers can choose how many features they want to buy, including professional consultant claims review, alternate procedures, frequency limitations, and age limitations.

Members can get reimbursement for dental care both from within the network of 70,000 dentists, who bill at contracted prices, or from outside the network from dentists who might charge more.

"With $ensible Choice, we’ve combined the simplicity of expense-based reimbursement for members with flexibility in controlling the plan’s financial performance for employers," says Group President Ken VanCleave.