MetLife Dental: HMO vs PPO

MetLife Dental: HMO vs PPO 

With Open Enrollment around the corner, we’ve received some questions about our dental options, specifically what are the differences between the MetLife HMO and PPO plan. Below is a quick breakdown going over what you need to know! 

Premiums 

When it comes to the monthly cost, the HMO plan is cheaper than the PPO plan. This is because the PPO plan offers more flexibility when it comes to finding a dentist and your choices on materials for things like fillings. 

Cost for Care 

When it comes to paying for care, the PPO plan tends to be more affordable, but there is a deductible and an annual maximum benefit. The PPO plan has a $50 deductible that must be paid before being fully covered for receiving “restorative services” (think fillings, surgery, root canals, etc.). The annual maximum benefit is the most the insurance will cover in a given year. For the PPO plan that’s $2,250 (there is also a lifetime max coverage for orthodontics, which is $2,000). 

Finding a Dentist  

The PPO plan has a broader network of providers when compared to the HMO plan. That being said, they both offer nationwide coverage and there are a lot of in-network dentists, especially in San Diego County.  

To look through dental providers follow the directions linked here.  

With the PPO plan you can go to any in-network dentist, with the HMO plan you’ll have one dentist who becomes your primary provider. You can either choose this dentist yourself or have one assigned to you. 

If you want to learn more about our coverage options, we recommend you check out our website. Click here. If you have any further questions, feel free to email [email protected] or call 888-315-8027.  

Note: This article only refers to the SDPEBA version of MetLife Dental. If you are a member of Local 127, you have access to a different form of MetLife Dental.