What are Illinois Public Aid Braces?
Public Aid is an Illinois state-run dental insurance program for orthodontic treatment including both braces and clear aligners. With public aid dental insurance, your child’s orthodontic treatment might be covered. However, your child must be pre-approved by the state for braces before the start of treatment because not all patients are covered by public aid insurance programs.
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Who qualifies for Public Aid Braces?
All families in Illinois with low-income who cannot afford orthodontic treatment for their child can qualify for orthodontic coverage under various state insurance programs including public aid.
Does Public Aid Cover Braces in Illinois?
Public Aid administrators must pre-approve all patients for braces before an orthodontist can start any treatment. Orthodontists use an index to determine the severity of the problem and the patient’s need for braces. Usually, children under the age of 20 with moderate to severe orthodontic problems can qualify for this coverage.
Are All Orthodontic Treatments Covered by Public Aid?
Generally, only comprehensive (Phase II) orthodontic treatment (braces) are considered to be covered through Public Aid. All early or interceptive treatment such as growth modification, palatal (upper jaw) expansion, and multiple other fixed and/or removable orthodontic appliances are not covered by Public Aid insurance programs. Therefore, it is necessary for your child to have all permanent teeth to be considered for Public Aid orthodontic coverage.
If your child requires early (interceptive) treatment or a fixed or removable orthodontic appliance other than braces, you will have to bear the cost of treatment without any insurance coverage and if your child still requires braces after interceptive treatment, a pre-approval can be submitted to Public Aid administrators once all the primary (baby) teeth have been lost.
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What Should I Do if My Child Doesn’t Qualify for Public Aid?
Unfortunately, these cases can be submitted only once in a lifetime and once disapproved cases cannot be re-submitted. At Orthodontic Experts, we understand the financial constraints of our patients and work to establish a financial arrangement that will work for your family’s budget. We have multiple payment plans and options that could be customized to your budget.
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