MetLife Announces a New ”Back to the BASICs” Offering to Help Small Businesses Save on Their Dental Benefits

Dual-option plans incorporate research, flexibility and choice at competitive price points

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- While employees historically place dental coverage among their five most important workplace benefits, according to MetLife’s 8^th annual Employee Benefits Trends Study, small businesses are less likely to offer them than larger companies. MetLife, a leading provider of employee benefits that offers dental plan administration for over 21 million people, today announced a new dual-option dental offering for smaller businesses (25 to 499 employees), designed to make it easier for them to achieve their top benefits objectives of controlling costs and retaining employees.

“We have leveraged MetLife’s current plan design flexibility to create an offering that addresses the current cost pressures facing smaller employers along with the oral health needs of their workforce,” said Michael Schwartz, vice president, MetLife Dental Products. “We have termed this offering “Back to the BASICs” because we see it as a way small businesses can provide employees with a valued benefit within a tight budget and allow employees to buy-up for more comprehensive coverage.”

The “Back to the BASICs” offering is a dual-option plan that focuses on the essentials while aligned with research, treatment protocols, and market trends to maximize the value to employers and their employees. With low monthly premiums the base plan provides coverage for services needed to maintain oral health, such as preventive exams, cleanings, X-rays, fluoride, sealants, fillings, and more. Employees can opt for the enhanced plan if they would like more comprehensive coverage including coverage for orthodontia services. The enhanced plan also provides lower out-of-pocket costs through lower deductibles and higher coinsurance reimbursement and annual maximums.

All plan participants have access to MetLife’s provider network of more than 130,000 participating dentist locations and the freedom to see their choice of provider whether in-network or not. They also have access to the educational resources available in MetLife’s online Oral Health Library.

For more information about MetLife’s dental offerings visit, www.metlife.com/dental.

MetLife, Inc. is a leading provider of insurance, employee benefits and financial services with operations throughout the United States and the Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific regions. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife, Inc. reaches more than 70 million customers around the world and MetLife is the largest life insurer in the United States (based on life insurance in-force). The MetLife companies offer life insurance, annuities, auto and home insurance, retail banking and other financial services to individuals, as well as group insurance and retirement & savings products and services to corporations and other institutions. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.

MetLife, Inc.
Shalana Morris, (212) 578-1115
or
Karen Eldred, (212) 578-9561

Source: MetLife, Inc.