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More than 249 million Americans had dental coverage at the end of 2016, according to the National Association of Dental Plans. Here’s some information about how to get the most out of your dental plan. Types of dental insurance Dental preferred provider organization (DPPO/PPO : These plans are popular because they allow covered consumers to choose from an array of dentists and dental specialists. The flexibility of PPOs trends toward higher costs for that type of coverage. Dental indemnity insurance : Consumers pay dentists directly for services rendered and later receive compensation from the insurance company through a sometimes lengthy claims-submission process. Discount dental/dental savings plans : Dentists agree to perform services for plan owners at a discounted price. Dentists are paid the discounted rate directly by the plan owner. What dental insurance covers Individual policies typically cover the following at 100 percent:: Preventive care : Cleanings, routine office visits 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will start mailing redesigned Medicare cards to beneficiaries in Washington state after June 2018. The new card contains a unique, randomly assigned number that replaces consumers' Social Security numbers. The purpose is to prevent fraud, combat identity theft and safeguard taxpayer dollars. All replacement cards should be delivered nationwide by April 2019. Here are 10 things to know about your new Medicare card: Mailing takes time: Your card may arrive at a different time than your friend’s or neighbor’s. Destroy your old Medicare card: Once you get your new Medicare card, destroy your old Medicare card and start using your new card right away. Guard your card: Only give your new Medicare number to doctors, pharmacists, other health care providers, your insurers, or people you trust to work with Medicare on your behalf. Your Medicare number is unique: Your card has a new number instead of your Social Security Number. This new

Our office regulates insurance, but not every kind of insurance. One of the types of insurance we don’t regulate are military health plans, such as TRICARE, which is regulated by the U.S. Department of Defense . However, we occasionally receive complaints, calls, and email inquiries from military members and retirees about those plans. On Jan. 1, TRICARE’s contracted insurance provider changed from UnitedHealthcare Military & Veterans to Health Net Federal Services . We have heard from some consumers and the TRICARE West Region that their call center is experiencing higher volume of calls with long wait times, enrollment backlogs, referral and authorization processing backlogs, and limited network provider directory & delivery issues. While we are unable to assist in resolving military health plan complaints, we do have information that may help some people: TRICARE West customer service number: 1-844-866-9378 Inquiries regarding West Region claims with dates of service prior

The Office of the Insurance Commissioner investigates criminal insurance fraud, receiving approximately 2,000 referrals each year. While insurance fraud may seem like a “victimless” crime – insurance companies carry large reserves of money in part to help pay claims – it actually harms consumers. Insurance fraud costs the average family $400 to $700 per year in increased premiums. The OIC’s Criminal Investigations Unit (CIU) is staffed by law enforcement and criminal analysts who work with state and local prosecutors to bring charges against the people who are suspected of committing insurance fraud. In 2017, our fraud investigators: Analyzed and prioritized 1,896 fraud referrals. Opened 102 criminal investigations and closed 93 criminal cases. Submitted 33 complex criminal cases to county, state, and federal prosecutors. Our work resulted in 33 criminal guilty pleas or convictions from 28 defendants. Here are some examples of insurance fraud: Buying insurance afte

Consumers can file complaints against insurance companies or against an agent or broker (they are called producers). Sometimes those complaints spur broader investigations where we identify a bigger issue. That’s where our regulatory investigations unit comes in. We have nine investigators who come from military and civilian law enforcement, and one former insurance producer. The team investigates insurance producers in Washington who violate state insurance laws and rules. If the producer is from another state, we refer the case to that state’s insurance department. We also work closely with our own Criminal Investigations Unit and local law enforcement agencies. In 2017, our regulatory investigators closed 188 cases, ranging from producers illegally selling insurance without a license to complex cases like annuity scams that target older consumers. Here are some examples: A simple complaint about a car rental company selling personal accident insurance resulted in an investigation

The Office of the Insurance Commissioner oversees Washington’s Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA). SHIBA offers free, unbiased and confidential assistance with Medicare and other health care choices. SHIBA can help you: Understand your Medicare coverage benefits, options and rights. Determine your general eligibility for programs that can help you pay for your Medicare. Evaluate and compare health insurance plans. In 2017, our 400 SHIBA volunteer advisors helped more than 108,000 people understand Medicare. Advisors are available in communities throughout the state; find one near you . For people who are about to turn or recently turned 65, we host Medicare events around the state .  You can also find information about Medicare on our website. Are you interested in becoming a SHIBA volunteer? Find out more .  Need more help? Call our Insurance Consumer Hotline at 800-562-6900 or find help online .

National Consumer Protection Week is March 4-10 and the Office of the Insurance Commissioner is one of many state agencies that help Washington consumers. This week, we’ll highlight some of the ways our agency helps consumers. Follow along on social media ; you can also  subscribe to our blog  by email or text. Most people have at least one type of insurance , whether it be health, home, auto, renter, business or another policy. Our consumer advocates are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to answer questions about insurance, help you find information and resources about insurance, or help resolve disputes with your insurance company. Here are some examples of ways we’ve helped consumers recently: An insurance company delayed a total loss claim for a consumer whose vehicle was damaged in a collision. A consumer was airlifted to a hospital and the health insurance company denied the bill for the air ambulance. We helped the consumer get the insurance company to pay th