Best Medicare Advantage plan for dental coverage in Northampton County, Virginia

Why this plan

4 of the 24 plans open to everyone here put $3,000 a year towards dental care, the most on offer. Among those 4, Humana Gold Plus H1036-333 (HMO) comes first: it has the largest Part B giveback, $1 a month, which 1 other shares. It ties with Humana Gold Plus H6622-004 (HMO) on all of that, so we list them by name.

9 plans here file no dollar amount for comprehensive dental care: they may cover only cleanings and exams, or limit care in ways we can't compare in dollars.

What it gives up

Nothing we can measure: its premium and out-of-pocket limit are no higher than most plans' here, and its star rating isn't below average.

Where else it does well

• Its out-of-pocket limit, $4,900, is among the lowest here; the middle plan's is $8,700.
• It is rated 4.5 stars, among Medicare's highest ratings.
• It also gives back $1 a month of your Part B premium.

Who it suits

A large dental allowance suits you if you expect more than cleanings: a crown, a root canal, dentures or implants. Original Medicare covers almost none of that. An allowance is a ceiling, not a promise: the plan can still charge a copay or a share of each bill, limit how often it pays for a service, and pay only dentists in its network.

The next best for dental coverage

Before you choose

• Check your doctors and hospitals. Most Medicare Advantage plans pay only, or mostly, for care in their own network. Ask the plan, or your doctor's office, before you join.
• Price your prescriptions. What your drugs cost can differ by hundreds of dollars a year between plans and outweigh any premium difference. Add them in our plan list to see your own costs.
• Read the plan's own documents. We take every figure from what the plan filed with Medicare, but its Evidence of Coverage is the final word on what it pays.
• Get free advice if you want it. Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) gives free, unbiased help choosing a plan.

How we picked

The plan with the most money a year towards comprehensive dental care -- fillings, crowns, root canals, dentures -- as the plan filed it with Medicare. Money only dental care can use counts ahead of an allowance shared with other benefits. Plans that charge a set copay for each service instead of paying from an allowance (dental HMOs) aren't ranked by dollars; they're listed separately, by their highest copays for fillings and crowns, root canals and dentures. Where several tie, we look next at the largest Part B giveback, then the lowest premium, then the lowest out-of-pocket limit for in-network care. Plans that still tie are listed by name.

We compare the 24 Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage that anyone with Medicare in Northampton County can join. Special needs plans and PACE, which are only for people who qualify, aren't included; you'll find them on the Northampton County page. No plan pays to be picked.