The Essential Care Program plan isn't insurance. The Essential Care Program (ECP) helps members fill in the gaps of Medicare and Medicare Supplement coverages, providing savings for dental, hearing, and vision. We partenered with Aetna Dental Access®, Outlook Vision Services, and Start Hearing to help our members keep out of pocket costs to a minimum.
The Essential Care Program dental benefits, partenered with Aetna Dental Access®, includes discounts on preventive, basic and restorative dental care. It also includes procedures insurance typically doesn't cover, such as cosmetic care and dental implants. Once your plan is active, show your membership card at the time of service for instant savings on treatments like cleanings, X-rays, root canals and dental implants.
The Essential Care Program vision benefits, partenered with Outlook Vision Services, includes 11,500+ optical centers who offer average discounts of 10% to 50% off the regular retail price of eyeglasses, contact lenses, sunglasses, and corrective surgery, including LASIK, RPK, and more.
Essential Care Program members have access to exclusive hearing care benefits through our partner network, including services provided by Start Hearing, a division of Starkey Hearing Technologies.
Yes. Savings savings plans like Essential Care Program can be a cost-effective option, especially if you don't have traditional insurance or need services insurance typically doesn't cover. Dental, Vision, and Hearing savings plan members report saving an average of 50% on their dental check-up, hearing-aid replacements, or picking up new prescription eye-glasses. Add the plans' unique advantages (no annual spending limits, no deductibles and no waiting periods after enrollment) and they're a great way to reduce out-of-pocket cost to a minimum.
You can't use dental insurance and a dental savings plan to reduce the cost of the same procedure, but you can use each for different procedures in the same treatment plan. You can also use your dental savings plan instead of your insurance when it will save you more, or for additional treatments after you've reached your insurance's annual limit, as long as the procedure is included in your plan (virtually all are).
Your dentist can help you decide how best to use your insurance and your dental savings plan. Check your insurance policy for any restrictions.
The Essential Care Program dental benefits, partenered with Aetna Dental Access® plan provides members with, in most instances, 15-50% per visit savings on dental procedures at more than 213,000 available dental locations nationwide through one of the largest dental savings networks. There is no limit to how many times you can use the dental savings plan to save at the dentist—use your card over and over again to keep your teeth sparkling clean!
The Essential Care Program vision benefits are a discount program for eyewear, not vision insurance. Through our partnership with Outlook Vision Services, members buy eyewear from participating providers and receive an average discount of 10% to 50%. Discounts are also available on eye exams and vision correction surgery in selected areas, where approved. Members pay for eyewear and services at the time of purchase.
Discounts are applied at the time of purchase, and members pay only the discounted amount directly to the provider. Average discounts of 10% to 50% apply to frames, lenses and all optional items. The average saving is $72 per pair of single-vision glasses, and discounts on multifocal lenses and frames can exceed $100.
Outlook Vision Services has over 10,500 optical providers. Many, but not all, offer 5% to 50% off eye exams. These providers are in selected areas only, where approved.
Yes. Selected Outlook Vision Services providers offer discounts on laser (LASIK) surgery. Call member services at (855) 201-9898 for locations and the discounts available in your area.
At this time, Medicare does not cover hearing aids. However, many Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare supplemental plans offer additional coverage for hearing aids. Give us a call at (855) 201-9898 and a Essential Care Program Advisor can help determine your eligibility and benefits.
Your in-office appointment will most likely include the following:
- Filling out new patient intake forms
- A discussion about your medical history and what signs of hearing loss you’ve experienced to date
- An ear canal exam to evaluate things like wax buildup and eardrum damage
- A hearing test that determines the severity of your hearing loss
- A review of your results and overall condition
- A discussion about possible solutions and treatment options
